Big Wild Miracle
by Bvega42
Summary: A normal day in October and the Wild Kratts team gets a call from an old friend. And they head to Barrow, Alaska, to help save 3 trapped Gray Whales. And which could be followed in the greatest animal rescue.
1. Migration Prologue

_Early March, 7 Months Ago..._

In early March, in the Pacific Northwest. The Wild Kratts Tortuga HQ is flying along the Canadian West Coastline. It was about 200 feet in the air following alongside a group of shadows traveling north in the water.

And then, a large gray Marine Mammal rose to the surface. And then spouted a heart shaped mist cloud from it's blowhole.

It was a Gray Whale.

Gray Whales are one of the largest animals on the planet. These creatures can get up to 40 feet long, and weigh as much as 30 tons. The same as 6 African Elephants, and they easily get their name for their gray skin color. But the most interesting feature is the amount of Barnacles they have. A single Gray can have as many as 44 pounds of Barnacles on them alone, mainly on the head. That's more amount than other Whales have.

In the Wild Kratts latest mission, they're following alongside the world champions of the longest migration of any Mammal. And possibly any Mammal that has ever existed.

Gray Whales make a 12,000 mile round trip each year, and been doing it for countless generations.

Inside, the main room of the Tortuga, the Wild Kratts were keeping track of their position. They've entered Canadian waters just a few days ago, and are making steady progress.

 _"Day 55. And the Gray Whale Migration continues as they now entered Canadian waters. At this point, we are halfway through this trip. And in another 2 months the Grays will arrive in their destination of Barrow, Alaska where they'll spend the summer."_

"How's the status, Koki?" Aviva asked Koki.

Koki's screen then brought up their position.

"We're about 6 miles north from British Columbia." Koki Looking over. "And we should reach Alaskan waters in 4 or 5 weeks." It was still, another 2,500 miles to go of reaching Point, Barrow.

Then Aviva walks over to her station. "Hey guys, how's it going down there?"

* * *

As it turns out, Chris and Martin are actually mini size and are riding in the Remora Rocket Sub attached on the belly of one of the females of the pod they're following.

"Everything's going great down here." Chris called from his Creaturepod. "All smooth sailing."

"Yeah, we're making a good 75 miles a day." Said Martin. "And traveling at a nice pace of 5 miles per hour."

Then Jimmy appears on the screen. _"I still can't believe they make this trip every year."_

"Yeah. Gray Whales been doing this route for tens of thousands of years." Martin said.

 _"But don't they ever get hungry during the trip?"_ Aviva asked.

"Don't worry, whales can go for months between a meal." Chris assured. "They last that long by their fat reserves."

* * *

"Okay, so. Let's review." Aviva pulling the migration route. "When we started, it was in a lagoon in Baja California where the females give birth to their calves. And they stay there throughout the winter."

"Yeah, the lagoon also protects the calves from predators." Koki added.

"And then, as spring approaches." Aviva explained. "The males are the first to leave while mothers and calves stay a while longer."

"And some males would've mated with the females with no calves."

"Over a week later, they enter U.S waters and swim up north following the coast. And towards San Francisco.

"And not too far away from that, is Monterey Bay. Just 6 miles south of it, and they swim over a large undersea canyon a mile deep."

"And sadly, sometimes calves get picked it by hunting Killer Whales." Aviva added. "We were lucky to see that one calf may it when 2 Humpback Whales appeared and drove them off."

"Yeah. Scientist recently discovered that Humpbacks are known to drive Orcas off sometimes." Koki said.

 _"And now we've entered Canadian waters just a few days ago."_ Chris said.

 _"Grays have amazing endurance."_ Said Martin. _"And that's why they're the world champion of endurance distance of Mammals."_

"Okay, so that would be us traveling..." Aviva thought.

 _"Us traveling up from the southern tip of South America to the coast of South Africa. In a single trip alone._ Martin said. _"No planes, cars, trains, boats, nothing. Only on foot."_

"Imagine the total distance a Gray can travel in a lifetime." Said Koki.

"Yeah, Gray Whales can live for 50 to 70 years." Chris said.

* * *

Day 130

Finally, afters months of following it is now May. And they finally arrived in the waters of the Arctic in Barrow, Alaska.

Chris and Martin were in their wetsuits as they swam into a shallow bay half a mile offshore. And soon came across a feeding Gray on the seabed.

"What's he doing?" Aviva soon joined them.

"This is actually how Grays feed." Chris gesturing to the Gray. "Gray Whales tilt sideways on a sandbar, and opening their mouths to suck in sand. And with it, any small crustaceans and others things they eat. And filter out the sand through their baleen."

"Grays can also feed on krill." Martin said. "But they don't have the same feature that Humpbacks, Minkes, Seis, Fins, or Blue Whales have with that throat pouch thing the expends into a net."

"Well, that layer of fat they sure keeps them warm in these waters." Aviva said. "It chilly up here."

"Yeah, most large whales spend the summer here in the Arctic." Chris said.

And soon, they swam up and back to the Tortuga.

* * *

Under the midnight sun of the Arctic summer, the group were going over the entire trip.

"Okay, we started here in San Ignacio Lagoon." Chris looking at the map on the big screen, and a Gray Whale picture appeared. "And we travel up north along the coast towards California, and towards Monterey Bay."

"That's where we saw the Orcas and those Humpbacks." Koki said.

And then an Orca and Humpback Whale appeared on the screen.

"After we passed San Francisco, it was smooth sailing to Pacific Northwest." Martin said as the Gray Whale moved towards next to British Columbia.

"And after that, we traveled along to Alaska." Aviva added. "And right pass between Alaska and Russia. And then finally, arrived to Barrow Alaska." And the Gray Whale picture moves up the Canadian coastline and pass between the Bering Sea between the 2 continents of North America and Asia. And stops at the northern tip of Alaska.

"And that's where they'll spend the summer." Jimmy said. "Eating up well for the next migration."

"Yeah, they'll travel back south in late September to early October." Said Chris.

A few days later, the Tortuga flies off leaving the Arctic behind. And the Gray Whales continue to feed, getting ready for the next trek south.

But what they don't know...

Is that they'll be back, in 4 months time.

In possibly their biggest most important mission yet.

* * *

 **Author's Note.**

 **This story is for the 30th Anniversary of Operation Breakthrough of October 1988.**

 **And is based on the 2012 film Big Miracle.**


	2. Barrow

**UNIVERSAL**

 **WORKING TITLE**

 **UNIVERSAL PICTURES**

 **PRESENTS**

 **A**

 **WORKING TITLE/ANONYMOUS CONTENT**

PRODUCTION

It was a peaceful day at the heart of the Arctic Circle.

 **BIG**

 **WILD**

 **MIRACLE**

 _"For thousands of years, my people have lived at the edge of the world."_

Out in the cold Arctic Ocean, in the Beaufort Sea in a canoe. Was a team of 7 Arctic natives were out on a hunt. They were the Inupiats, their people have been around for tens of thousands of years, and since the last Ice Age. And among the group was an elder in his mid 60's, and a young boy about 11.

 _"Unknown, alone, until one brief moment when the world found us."_

The Inupiats are a traditional whale hunting tribe. And been doing it for countless generations, each passing down to the next. And this is the young boy's first hunt, and the elder is his grandfather. His name is Nathan, and his grandfather is Malik

The members paddled across the calm waters. And then emerging from the dark depths, came the Great Arctic Leviathan.

The Bowhead Whale.

The Bowhead Whale is the biggest creature that the Inupiats hunt. One catch of an adult, can feed an entire village for months. And just it's head alone, was longer than the canoe that they're in. And luckily, every hunt they do doesn't threaten the total population in the Arctic. They only take a few whales each year.

The Whale appears to be a sub adult, 35 to 40 feet long at least. As long as a city bus. And weighing up to 60 tons, the weight of an Abrams Battle Tank. But they can get bigger than that, adults can get up to 60 feet long and weigh 100 tons. One reason that they depend of the Bowhead, is because they're the only large whale that stay in the Arctic all year round, through their entire lives.

"Feel it's rhythm." Malik said to his grandson. "We have to be close enough to touch. We must know where the abviq will surface before it does. Can you tell me?"

Nathan watches the water ahead.

"Concentrate!" Said Malik. "Come on, concentrate."

Nathan looks out at the water carefully, and after a few moments. He then points ahead. He then turned to his grandfather, and then he points slightly out to right. And then the Bowhead raises to the surface for air.

Malik is a true veteran of these hunts, he's been doing it for decades.

And then Malik stood up. "Kill abviq. Kill abviq!"

A member behind him quickly brought a large harpoon and handed it to him. And the members quickly stroked the canoe faster to the whale. But they know they have to be careful, even though that the Bowhead's nature is that they're gentle giants. But they can defend themselves, and lash out their flukes at predators like Killer Whales.

The canoe approaches the whale as it dives down, and soon it's enormous tail fluke as wide as the canoe itself lifts up.

And then, once close enough, Malik quickly throws the harpoon.

 **INSPIRED BY A**

 **TRUE STORY**

A group of 3 natives pull a canoe up.

 **BARROW, ALASKA**

 **OCTOBER, 2018**

At it is a peaceful day in small town which is up further north than any other in the world. In Point, Barrow Alaska.

In this time of year, in October the people in the town are usually getting ready for the cold dark winter months ahead. And though the Inupiats had their ancient traditions, even they have modern time things like houses, cars, even snowmobiles.

And then, a young man with brown hair and light blue eyes. Named Adam Carlson, a news reporter from Anchorage and spending the summer in Barrow. Is doing a report of an Avocado.

Adam opens a split one. "The avocado, a native fruit of Mexico and the key ingredient used in making guacamole. Now, nothing grows in brutal climate. So, how did the avocado end up 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle? Well, this little guy and pretty much everything in this town has to take 4 separate plane rides to arrive up here in chilly Barrow, Alaska." Adam wanders next to Barrow's only Mexican restaurant, Amigos.

And inside the Amigos restaurant, everyone is enjoying their meals.

"As you can imagine, the folks here at Amigos restaurant the northern-most Mexican restaurant in the world, well, they can't get enough of this special treat." And then Adam approaches a family. "Hey, guys, how's the food?" Adam then took a chip, and dip it in some guacamole and took a bite.

Then a TV shows as Adam turns to the camera. _"Holy guacamole, that's good. From up here in Barrow, Alaska. I'm Adam Carlson, Channel 2 News."_

Then the screen changes to a News studio and a man chuckled. _"Mexican food in the Arctic, huh? Well, now I've heard_ everything. "In the Amigos restaurant, Adam and everyone in the restaurant watches. _"Thanks, Adam. Adam Carlson continues his "Adam Around Alaska" reports from Barrow through the end of this week. That's gonna do it for us down here in Anchorage on this Thursday, October 11th, 2018."_ Everyone clapped as they cheered for Adam. _"I'm Don Davis. Good evening."_

"Speech! Speech! Speech!" They cheered.

"No, no." Adam shook his head.

"Speech! Speech! Speech!"

"All right." Adam getting up. "Um... Let me think. Uh... I think it was Mark Twain who said that the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." Everyone laughed. "Let me tell you this is the coldest summer I've spent anywhere. But with the warmest people, and I really mean that. Thank you all for your hospitality." And they all clapped. "Appreciate it." And then Adam sat back down.

"When are you leaving?" Nathan asked.

"Uh, Saturday." Adam answered.

"Sure is gonna be different when you're gone." Said a little girl with dark brown eyes and black hair name Nua.

"Wait, you said that you were gonna do a story on my cousin and his snowmobile tricks." Said Nathan. "You promised."

"I promised?" Adam questioned. "I think I said, if I had time. I'm really sorry."

"Come on." Nathan begged.

"I don't think I'm gonna time." Adam admitted.

"Please, it won't take long."

"I'm sorry."

Adam slightly shook his head. "Is he even good?"

"He'll blow your mind." Said Nathan.

Adam seemed convinced.


	3. Discovery in the Ice

Half an hour later, they were out on the sea ice as Adam films Arnold on his snowmobile.

"Keep it up!" Nathan called. "Cool! Very cool!"

And then Arnold drove over a small ice formation like a ramp.

"Oh, get this one." Nathan said. "This one, this one."

Then Arnold skids and drifts sideways on the sea ice.

"Awesome, Arnold!" Nathan cheered.

Arnold continues with his tricks.

"This is pretty amazing, huh?" Nathan turning to Adam.

Adam glances to him. "Oh, you're being serious?"

"Yeah." Nathan nodded.

"This is it?"

"He's only warming up for THE DONUTS! Arnold, do the donuts!"

"Do something, Arnold."

"Sure want something to happen." Said Nua.

As Adam looks through the camera scope, filming Arnold. He suddenly heard a light blowing sound as he tilts the camera slightly tilt and ahead. And zooms in, and then through the gray distance was a faint heart shaped mist as well as another blowing sound was heard.

Adam glances ahead, thinking that something's out there.

"What the hell?" Adam looks through the scope and tries to make out what it was.

As they looks, he notice that there may be more than one.

* * *

 **SIBERIA, RUSSIA**

On a snowy terrain in Siberia, Chris and Martin were observing the 2nd world's largest land predator.

The Siberian Tiger.

At the moment, they were watching a male prowling his territory. And even by Tiger standards, this was a very large male.

"Isn't he huge, Martin?" Chris whispered.

"Yeah, he's as big as the table in the Tortuga." Martin said.

"Yeah, he's about as big as they can get." Said Chris.

And soon, the large male Tiger was gone.

"Amazing how a large orange cat can still hunt in this kind of climate." Chris said.

"Yeah, Tigers once roam throughout Asia." Martin said.

Then Chris' Creaturepod rang as he pulls it out. And then a screen appeared with Aviva.

 _"Hey guys, any chance can you come back to the Tortuga?"_ Aviva said. _"There's something up."_

"What is it?" Chris asked.

 _"It's an old friend, Adam Carlson."_

"Adam Carlson? He haven't heard from him in ages." Martin said.

And then, they headed back to the Tortuga.

* * *

A few minutes later, they got back to the Tortuga, and entered the HQ.

"So, what's going on?" Martin asked.

"Well, from Adam's call, he's saying that there's something that we need to see." Koki said.

"Okay, where is he?" Chris said.

"He's up in Barrow, Alaska." Aviva answered.

"Barrow? We were just there earlier this year." Martin said.

"Well then, to Barrow, Alaska then." Said Chris.

"Firing up the engine right now." Jimmy heading to the cockpit.

Within a few moments, the Tortuga takes off, and then flies East to Alaska.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a different part of the world. A young woman named Rachel Kramer is putting on lipstick.

Outside, in a different part of the building. News reporters were setting up and getting cameras ready in a meeting room.

"Boys." Said a voice.

4 men turned and saw a elderly man with white hair and blue eyes appeared named J.W. McGraw.

"There's the S.O.B." Said a man.

"Now, now. Come on, Rob." Said McGraw. "We don't know who's going to get the drilling rights until we hear the bids. I think that's the way it works, right?"

"I'm surprised to see you here." Said a man. "I thought would you be down on the ranch roping some R and R."

"Well, I figure, what's the fun in buying a new car if you can't be there to take delivery?" Said McGraw.

And they sat down.

"Good morning." Called the announcer. "If everyone will please take a seat, we will go ahead and get started. As you all know, the bids for the oil drilling rights of Bristol Bay have been submitted to the US Department of the interior and have been kept secret. Until now." He then puts on his glasses. "The highest bid is,..." He then opens an envelope. "and the contract for Bristol Bay goes to... J.W. McGraw and Alaskan Northern Oil."

"Yes!" McGraw cheered.

And the entire claps in his win.

"Yes, good work, you guys." McGraw shaking a man's hand.

 _"What about the Greenpeace bid?"_

They turned and saw Rachel speaking through a microphone speaker.

"The law says that you have to read the bids." Said Rachel. "What about the Greenpeace bid?"

"Ma'am, please." Said the announcer.

"We bid the value of all the wildlife you're putting at risk." Rachel continued.

"Please have a seat."

"3/4 of the world's Salmon is being endangered up there, Mr. McGraw."

"Yeah. Get her the hell out of here." McGraw said.

"3 species of Whales pass through there every year." Rachel continued. "There's nothing that Whales like more than a big oil spill. It's their favorite."

Then there were 2 security guards approached her.

"Wait, I'm not done." Rachel said. "I'm not finished."

Then the guards begin to drag her out of the room, literally.

"Yes, you are." McGraw said.

"The law says that you have to read all..." A guard lowers her microphone. "Are you... Really? Okay, fine. I'll read the bids myself."

McGraw shook his head.

"Steller Sea Lions!" Rachel yelled.

* * *

Thousands of miles away, back in Barrow.

A snowmobile and 2 Buzzbikes and a Hover Bike on the sea ice were approaching Adam, Arnold, Nathan and Nua who were standing by a large hole in the ice at least 17 feet in diameter.

And then, Malik pulls up near them and then climbed off the snowmobile with Biologist Pat Lafayette. And Chris and Martin climbed off their Buzzbikes, as Aviva, Koki and Jimmy climbed off the Hover Bike.

"Hello, guys." Pat greeted.

"Hi, Nua." Aviva said.

"Hey." Nathan said.

"Adam, long time no see." Martin said.

"Yeah, you too." Said Adam.

"Malik, Pat." Adam said with the camera aimed at the hole.

"Hi." Said Pat.

"So, what is it that you brought us out here?" Jimmy asked.

"You got to see this." Adam said.

And then, lifting it's head from the water. Was a Gray Whale surfacing for air.

"A Gray Whale." Aviva said.

Malik was amazed.

"And here comes number 2." Adam said.

And then another Gray Whale came up to breath as well.

Malik gasped. "Female. First one was a male, young but grown."

And then they were in a surprise as a 3rd Gray Whale surfaced. But this one is actually a young calf. And on the tip of it's upper jaw was missing some skin and was showing bone.

"Oh! It's a baby, maybe 8 months old." Said Malik.

"Aww, que lindo." Aviva adored by the calf.

"But that's not all." Adam said. "Look."

Then, a little Orca calf rose to the surface for air.

"An Orca calf?" Koki said. "That's unexpected."

And then, a little Narwhal calf surfaced.

"A Narwhal calf?" Aviva stunned.

And then surprisingly, a Blue Whale calf surfaced.

"A Blue Whale calf?" Martin surprised. "How'd she get up here."

"And here comes number 7 and last." Adam said.

And then, unexpectedly, a Sperm Whale calf lifts it's head up to take a breath.

"A Sperm Whale calf?" Chris surprised. "How'd he get up here?"

"Yeah, Sperm Whales don't live this far north." Martin added and brought his Creaturepod out showing the range map of the Sperm Whale. "Wow, this little guy is really lost."

"Yeah, he's about over 1,100 miles outside of the range they live." Chris said. "Same with the Blue Whale calf."

"And Narwhals usually head out to the open sea at this time of year." Martin said.

"But, what are the 4 doing out here?" Koki asked.

"The Orca calf must've got separated from her pod. And was cut off from the sea ice." Chris thought. "Along with the Narwhal."

"The Sperm Whale calf and his mom must've gotten lost somehow." Martin said. "And gotten separated from each other. Same with the Blue Whale."

"And they ended up with the Gray Whales." Jimmy said.

"Hey wait a second, I know that patch marking." Martin noticing the swirl marking behind the Orca's eye. "Swirly, is that you?"

It was revealed that the Killer Whale calf is actually Swirly. An Orca calf that they know.

"Oh, poor thing." Aviva said. "She must be sad from being away from her pod."

And then the Sperm Whale calf resurfaced. As well as the Narwhal calf.

"Wait a minute." Jimmy realizing something. "Bumper?"

"Two Tusker?!" Koki noticing the 2 familiar tusk nubs. "Is that you?"

"Wait, Blue Jr?" Aviva looking at the Blue Whale calf. "Is that you?"

"What are you doing out here, buddy?" Chris placing a hand on Bumper's nose.

"Can they get free?" Adam asked.

"No." Pat shaking his head. "This solid ice goes for 5 miles from the..." He then noticed Adam having the camera pointed to him. "This is solid ice, Adam. It goes for 5 miles from here to the waterways that lead to the open ocean."

Then the male Gray Whale came up again.

"These Gray heads are too soft to go through thick ice, but they know they have to keep the hole open so they don't drown." Said Malik.

"Yeah, Gray Whales can only stay under for about 10 minutes." Martin said.

"When not on a deep dive, Sperm Whale also stay under for 10 minutes." Chris added. "Same with Orcas and Blues."

"Narwhals can stay under for 20 minutes." Koki added. "But I don't think Two Tusker can stay under for that long."

"Even if they did try to swim to the open sea." Aviva said. "It will be a suicide swim."

"What do you think?" Pat turned to him. "A couple of days?"

Malik nodded.

"2, maybe 3 days, then this freezes over and..." Pat halts.

They all turned to him, and then the male Gray Whales surfaces again. And Bumper came up again for a breath. And dove back down.


	4. National News

Later, Adam was at his station going over the footage he got from the Whales.

 _"Cuts and bruises are now visible each time the whales surface."_ Adam reported. _"But for these 6, there is no choice. Cut and bruised are now visible each time the whales surface. But for..."_

Adam them pauses the footage, and then picks up his phone.

* * *

Meanwhile, a man handed some sheets to Don, and his phone rang. And soon picked it up.

"Don Davis." He called.

 _"Hey, Don. Adam Carlson."_

"Oh, Adam, how are things up in the icebox?" Don asked.

* * *

"Going pretty well. Just preparing for my move to Chickaloon." Adam said glancing at the footage.

 _"Yeah."_

* * *

"That's good, because it seems like your material up there is running pretty thin." Said Don.

* * *

Adam chuckled a bit. "Well, you know what? I think Barrow might have one more story left in her."

 _"Oh, really? What?"_

* * *

"Uh, 10 more great uses for Seal blubber?" Don guested and laughed.

 _"No, whales, actually. I got 3-"_

* * *

"-California Grays trapped in the ice." Adam explained. "Along with a Sperm Whale calf, Killer Whale, Blue Whale and Narwhal as well. I got a great report and a ton of footage."

 _"Yeah."_

* * *

"Whales, huh?" Don said.

* * *

"Everybody loves whales." Said Adam.

* * *

"Yeah, I guess. Uh... Well, shoot it on down to me on the satellite." Don said.

* * *

 _"I'll take a look at it."_

"Fantastic! All right, I'm sending it up right now." Adam said. "You're gonna love it. I promise."

 _"Take it easy."_

"Okay."

He then hangs up.

* * *

Meanwhile, thousands of miles to the south. Rachel was watching the news of the event.

 _"The Trump administration is just keeps selling off our natural resources to their buddies in the oil company, like McGraw."_ She said on the TV. And then the scene changes as she was dragged out of the room.

 _"After Miss Kramer was ejected from the hall, the oil lease auction proceed without incident."_ Rachel then got up, and removes her vest. _"And now from one environmental story to another. A family of 3 Gray Whales have found themselves trapped in the icy waters off Point Barrow."_ That got Rachel's attention as she turns to the screen. _"Along with a lone Sperm Whale calf, Killer Whale, Blue Whale and Narwhal calf as well. Adam Carlson reports."_ Then the scene changes to with Adam standing behind the Whales.

 _"I'm standing out on this frozen landscape where we've recently discovered a tragedy unfolding here in Barrow."_ Adam reported.

* * *

Back in Barrow, Adam, Nathan and Chris and Martin were in the station watching the footage. While Aviva, Koki and Jimmy turned in for the night.

 _"It's either continue fighting to keep the hole open, or drown."_ Adam reported. _"Both experts here give the whales a slim chance of survival. I'm Adam Carlson, reporting from Barrow, Alaska."_

"Come on." Adam turned to Nathan.

"Okay, even I know that was way better than Arnold's wheelies." Nathan admitted.

"Right?"

"Yeah."

"And, see, something like this would be very good for my reel."

"It's a good thing you guys were out there." Chris said.

"Yeah, another day or 2, they would died without us knowing about it." Said Martin.

Then there a knock, and Adam turned and there was a man.

"Adam, phone." He said.

Adam rolls over to his phone.

"Bet you that's a groupie." Said Nathan.

"All right, let's not get carried away." Adam said. "Do you think it could be?"

"Yeah."

He then picks up the phone. "This is Adam Carlson."

* * *

"You have whales in trouble up there and you didn't call me?" Rachel laugh in disbelief.

* * *

"I didn't call you because there' nothing you can do." Said Adam.

Nathan mouthed, who is it?

 _"Well, there's always something you can do."_

* * *

"You didn't call me because I'm me." Said Rachel.

* * *

"Yes, that's also true." Adam said. "Because when we broke up, you said not to call you or speak to you ever again."

* * *

"But this is different. There are whales in trouble."

 _"Rachel. If I called you every time-"_

* * *

"-a dung beetle or a fungus was in trouble. We'd never get off the phone."

Nathan laughed, and the two high five. And Chris and Martin snickered.

 _"Adam."_

* * *

Rachel sat down. "Okay, how long can they last?" Getting back to the subject.

* * *

Back out on the ice, the 3 Grays and Bumper, Swirly, Blue Jr and Two Tusker remained at their only life line.

The water below them is only 15 feet deep. Making difficult maneuvering for them, and the ice is 6 inches thick. That's enough to hold even a Black Rhino. And Aviva was right, at 5 miles from the open water. It would be a suicide swim if the whales left their only breathing hole.

"I don't know. Pat says a couple days. The ice is getting thicker. That's not your only problem, though. The Inupiats want to harvest them."

* * *

Rachel was confused.

"But they don't eat Grays, Sperms, Blues or Killers, they eat Bowhead." She said.

 _"I know, but-"_

* * *

"-they haven't filled their quota this year." Adam said. "So, on Sunday night the whaling captains are meeting to get their permit."

* * *

Rachel then have a mad look. "Not if I can help it."

* * *

The next day, Rachel went to meet Governor Haskell.

She waited outside, and after the meeting. He soon came out with 2 other men.

"Governor Haskell." Rachel approached him.

"Miss Kramer, nice to see you again." Said Haskell. "How's everything in nature?"

"Fine. Listen, I don't mean to disrupt you..."

"I don't think you know any other way."

"Governor, 3 Gray Whales, a Sperm Whale, Blue Whale, Killer Whale and Narwhal calf are trapped off the coast of Barrow and we were wondering if you can help us."

"What kind of help?"

"Mobilize the National Guard up to Barrow with a ship that can break through the ice."

Haskell laughed thinking it was a joke, but saw the look on Rachel's face. "Are you serious? You want me to mobilize the National Guard to save a few whales?"

Rachel nodded.

"Excuse me." Haskell walked away.

But then Rachel caught up to him. "Because whales can't vote, right? And they can't give big campaign contributions, so, who cares about a bunch of stupid whales, right?

"Please. In Alaska, there are no simple rescues." Haskell said. "If I get the National Guard involved, I'm putting their lives at risk, and when a whale dies, Miss Kramer, you don't have to tell it's wife and children." He then walks away.

* * *

 **NBC Studios, New York**

Meanwhile, in New York at a News studio. A group was discussing about a next news story.

"All right, people, let's go over this one more time." Said a man. "We do the Bush-Dukakis debates, followed by voter reaction. Do the budget deficit piece, the S&L indictments and what? The Anti-Drug bill, right?"

"That leaves us a minute and 40 seconds to fill." Said an African American man.

The man sighed. "Well, did anything new come in on the feed?" He was open for any ideas at this point.

"Yeah, you got Chrysler laying of 5,000." A woman looking at a list. "A train off the tracks in India, 60 dead. And a bunch of whales stuck in the ice in the North Pole."

"Whales." he said a bit interested. "Brokaw's a sucker for those stories."

* * *

3,416 miles away back in Barrow.

Adam was going over with Nathan on his homework.

"Wait, wait, wait, but show me how you got that." Said Adam.

"It's easy." Said Nathan. "If 26 is less or equal to three-x plus one, I just use the additive..." But then he noticed Adam distracted on something else. "Adam, listening?"

"Yep." He replied.

Nathan then turns to one of the TVs behind him, and and saw a young woman with blond hair and blue eyes named Jill Gerald. And at the moment, she was doing a report on some hot dogs.

"You like her." Nathan smiled.

"What, no I don't." Adam said.

"Well, I like her." Said Nathan. "She's hot."

"Okay, don't you have to go?" Adam changing the subject.

"No."

"Yes, I think you do. I think you're supposed to be at a dance thing."

"It's so boring."

"It's also tradition and your grandfather's going to kill me if you miss it, so..."

"So? It's not like I'm gonna be here when I grow up. I don't want to be here. I want to be out there, like you."

They continued watching the news feed of Jill.

"Can you believe that she was in a tiny news station in Lawrence, Kansas, like, 4 years ago?" Adam said.

"Yeah, you like her." Nathan said and then saw something. "Holy crap!"

"Whoa! What did I say about the language?" Adam then turned. "Holy crap!"

There was a TV monitor showing the news of the trapped whales as a elderly man reports.

 _"In Northern Alaska, winter comes very early, and for 3 California Gray Whales, a Sperm Whale, Killer Whale, Blue Whale and Narwhal, it may have come too early this year."_

* * *

Thousands of miles to the south, an elderly woman was going over some papers as it went on.

 _"Adam Carlson reports from the most northern point of the United States."_

 _"I'm standing out on this frozen landscape where we recently discovered a tragedy unfolding here in Barrow."_ Adam reported. And then the scene shows a section of Northern Alaska near Barrow. _"Ice is freezing the Beaufort Sea, more quickly than usual for this time of year."_ The woman soon watches. _And 3 Gray Whales, 2 adults and their baby, are now trapped within a wall of ice,-"_

* * *

 _"-6 inches think. And are accompanied with a Sperm Whale, Killer Whale, Blue Whale and Narwhal as well. All 4 of those are calves."_

Else where in the world, the news got the attention of a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes named Kelly Meyers.

 _"According to Pat Lafayette of Alaska Wildlife Management, these Gray Whales were to have already begun their annual migration south. And the Sperm Whale calf is a long way from his usual home range. As well as the Blue Whale calf."_

Then the scene changes as Pat explains. _"It's a 5,000 mile journey that takes them down the coast of North America to a lagoon in Baja, California, where they breed. And the Sperm Whale calf is almost 1,500 miles from where he should be. And the same for the Blue Whale calf. And at this time of year, Killer Whales and Narwhals make their way to the open sea. And the 4 calves somehow gotten separated from their families, most likely the 3 of them were spoke by a pod of Killer Whales, and the Orca calf wandered away from her pod. These 6 whales were certainly not expecting to be imprisoned in an Arctic dungeon."_

* * *

In a family house in California, a mother and her son and daughter were watching as well.

 _"A Gray Whale's head, unlike the Stout Bowhead Whale, is too soft to break through the ice and it's beginning to take it's toll. Sperm Whales have thick blubber, but it's really meant to keep warm in the cold dark depths as they take their famously incredible deep dives. Blue Whales are sometimes seen in the Arctic, but mainly visit there during the summer."_

* * *

Back in the High Arctic, in the Tortuga the Wild Kratts Team were watching as well.

 _"Cuts and bruises are now visible each time the whales surface. But for these 7, there is no choice. It's either continue fighting to keep the hole open, or drown._

* * *

Somewhere in the Southeastern part of the United States, Wild Kratts Kids Gavin, Ronan, Nolan, Ellie, Katie, Sani, Jenny and Aidan were watching the news of the trapped whales as well.

 _"Both experts here give the whales a slim chance of survival."_

* * *

Back over with Kelly, she begins to type a report on a type writer saying.

Memo to the President re: Alaska Whales

* * *

Meanwhile, in Rachel's workplace, a woman picks up a phone.

"Good morning, Greenpeace." She said.

"Look, Dave, those whales are dead if I don't get some help." Rachel on a phone. "Okay?"

 **Greenpeace Headquarters,**

 **Anchorage**

"There's the quote for your paper." Rachel continued. "I gotta go."

Rachel then moves over to another phone as it rang, and picks it up.

"Hello?" Rachel called.

 _"I know how you can free those whales."_ Said a woman's voice.

"Who is this?" Rachel asked.

The other workers soon turned to her.

 _"I'm a friend of the whales."_ The woman continued. _"In Prudhoe Bay, there's a giant hover barge that belongs to Alaska Northern Oil. It was built to break through the ice, and trust me, it's exactly what you need. You just have to get the National Guard to supply a helicopter to tow it from Prudhoe to Barrow."_

Rachel seem a little interested. "How do you know all of this?"

* * *

Elsewhere in the world, the woman is actually revealed as Ruth McGraw. J.W's wife.

"I have very good connections." She admitted.

Close by and outside, J.W. was talking to someone.


	5. Fighting the Ice

Up in Barrow, a Boeing 737 flies lower to ground for a landing.

And soon, the passengers came out of the plane, and 2 news reports Porter Beckford and Brett Baker were among them.

"Where the hell are we?" Beckford complained. "Brokaw and his damn whales!"

* * *

A few minutes later, they were inside the airport as dozens of people were either hugging friends or family of their returns or parting. And while some were grabbing their bag, Brett was reading a sign.

"All raw whale and seal meat must be stored in leak proof packages for shipment." Brett read the sign and laughed a bit. And then Beckford approached him. "You know, I think they got a sign like that in Disneyland. Did you find the bathroom?"

"Yeah. 2 porta-johns." Beckford said picking up his bags. "One with a broken door. One with a frozen lid.

They headed outside, and despite being 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The people of Barrow went on with their lives as usual.

"Oh, God!" Said Beckford.

* * *

 **Boulder, Colorado**

Thousands of miles south in Colorado, McGraw and his wife were having dinner.

"She called you?" Said Ruth. "Interesting."

"I'll tell you something, Ruth." Said J.W. "That woman has got a hell of big pair thinking that she can ask me for help after the way she embarrassed me like that. I mean, she's nuts if she thinks I'm gonna let some hippies use my barge to save a bunch of whales! Thank you." That last part to the servant.

"Is Barrow near that Arctic Wildlife reserve you're always going on about?" Ruth asked. "That place you want to drill so bad?"

"That's a whole other fight." He said. "She's got her tree-hugger buddies in Washington killing me on that one, too. You know, I spent a fortune and I still can't get the votes I need to drill."

"Can you imagine what those people would think if you saved those whales?"

"Yeah, right."

Ruth laughed a bit.

"If we started hugging trees, too." Said J.W. "I'll tell you what it would do. It would make it a whole lot harder to make me look like the bad guy all the time."

"Honey, how much could it cost to move one silly little barge?" Ruth asked.

"Well, I'll tell you. 20 or 30 grand, probably." He answered.

Ruth turns to him.

And then, J.W. got up. "Excuse me, I'll be right back. Sorry." He then approached a phone. "Yeah, Bobby, I just changed my mind. Tell the witch she can use my barge."

Unknowingly behind me, Ruth smiles in victory and took a sip of her wine.

"Right. Whoa, whoa, whoa! Listen, have the girls put out a press release saying that we're even gonna- we're gonna spring for the gas in the helicopters. All right?

* * *

Back in Barrow, Adam, Nathan, Nua and the Wild Kratts and Beckford and Brett were on the sea ice heading out to the hole.

"You did that story on Hurricane Florence last month." Said Nathan.

"Yeah." Brett said.

"Yeah, Adam and I watched every second of that."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we got all the feeds at the TV station."

"That was crazy last month." Said Nua.

They soon joined Adam.

"Hey, how did they get that killer facility all the way out to a place like this?" Brett asked Adam.

"Yeah. Welcome to Barrow." Adam setting up a camera. "You have $400 million high school next to a $400 house." "He then turned to Nathan. "Did you get the tapes?"

"Oh, no." Nathan rushed to the truck to get them.

"I don't know how you do it." Brett setting up the wiring.

"I'm not from here. I'm down form Anchorage. I would love to get to the lower 48, though."

Close by, Pat and Beckford ware going over some notes. And Koki and Aviva were helping out with another camera.

"It involves El Nino, if you can believe that." Pat said.

Then one of the 2 adult Gray Whales surfaced for air, as well as Bumper.

"That's uh... That's-that's that's amazing." Said Beckford.

"With the whale story heating up, maybe you guys could take a look at my reel, or..." Said Adam.

Brett laughed a bit. "I don't think he's gonna recommend anybody who can steal his job."

Then Chris, Martin and Jimmy appeared on the Hover Bike coming back from the Tortuga.

"We just got back after getting some medical exams." Chris said. "And, they should be okay for now."

"Can someone remind why we have the Tortuga parked on land instead of the sea ice?" Jimmy asked with a slice of pizza.

"Because, the ice is too thin to hold the Tortuga." Koki said. "This is 6 inches of ice, it's thick enough to hold a small car or truck. We need at least over 2 or 3 feet of ice to safely hold the Tortuga."

And as Brett approached Beckford and Pat, when he was straightening the wiring on the microphone. It suddenly snapped like it was a twig.

"What... the hell?" Brett in disbelief confused.

"Oh, yeah, those things are like twigs out in this temperature." Adam said. "You know, I keep some extras in the trunk."

"I'll get them." Nathan rushed back to truck.

"Ow!" Beckford in pain and finding it hard to remove the pen from his mouth. And they turned to him "Ow." It was revealed that the pen is now frozen stuck to his lip. "Oh, you could get me some coffee? May-Maybe some hot coffee?"

"Uh, oh!" Jimmy's voice a bit muffled.

They turned to Jimmy and saw that the tip of his pizza slice was frozen stuck to his tongue.

"Uh, are you okay, Jimmy?" Aviva asked trying not to laughed.

"S'This is's noth, sthfunny!" Jimmy said through the slice.

He almost looked like Scrat from that scene in Ice Age: The Meltdown when he got his tongue stuck on the wall of a glacier. And then, Jimmy begins to struggle to pull the slice off. And then after a few tugs, he finally pulled the slice off. But now his tongue was left dangling out of his mouth.

"S'now, Ifth you'll Exscusthe meth!" He said. "Th'I'm Heading to T'The Tortugtha, to fixth, my tongue."

He then walks away back to the Tortuga to get his tongue better.

* * *

Thousands of miles south in California, the little girl was watching the news as a new report came on the whales.

 _"Time and hope appear to be running out..."_

"It's on! It's on!" She called.

 _"for 3 California Gray Whales, Sperm Whale, Blue Whale, Killer Whale and Narwhal calf that have been trapped for more than a week in the thickening ice of the Arctic Ocean."_

The mother quickly rushes to the living room, and then the father and husband of the family came in the house returning from work. And notice his family gathered at the living room.

"Hey, what's happening?" he rushed in.

 _"They are pathetic creatures."_ Beckford reported. _"One can hear the sound of panic as they surface to breathe. Temperatures are well below zero. The hole has gotten smaller, the ice has gotten thicker. The seven whales have nowhere to go. It's 5 miles from here to open water. And they can't swim that far underwater without breathing. And even though Sperm Whales are known to be in the record books of being the deepest diving Mammal. For being under for 2 hours at a time, they can only stay under for that long when hunting in the dark depths. And the Blue Whale, though being the largest animal on Earth. This one is only 2 months old, and at that age are dependent on their mother's milk. Which means these Ocean Titans, are not as invincible as some believe. Groups like Greenpeace are scrambling to figure out how to save the whales, but the local Inupiat tribe is considering alternative plan."_ He pauses a for a moment. _"Harvesting the whales for food."_

* * *

 **KABC Studios, Los Angeles**

"Okay. One last thing, This whale story is heating up. I need to send someone." Said a lead producer.

Jill raised her hand.

"Don't everybody jump at once." He said.

"I'll go." Jill volunteered. "I've spoken to a marine biologist about the situation and I've been in contact with the mayor's office in Barrow."

"Uh-huh." Said the producer, and then turned to a man named Wes Handrick. "It's yours if you want it, Wes."

"Oh, it's a cat-in-a-tree." Wes said. "I think I'll stick around here and do the stories that matter."

A few members laughed.

"Really, and what is it that makes a story matter, Wes?" Jill asked.

"What makes a story matter is that I cover it." Said Wes.

A few members laughed again.

"Now, if those whales go on a killing spree, or run for office, give me a call." He finished.

They laughed again, and Jill only did a sly smile.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rachel is speaking to some reporters.

"We've secured the hover barge and now all we need is the cooperation of the National Guard." She said.

* * *

Meanwhile, Haskell was watching it from his office on a TV.

 _"But that has to come down from the governor, and so far, the governor has basically turned his back on the whales. Next question."_

Haskell shook his head. "I hate her so much."

* * *

Sometime later, Haskell has finally agreed and is shaking the hand of someone dressed in a blue Pilot Whale costume.

"And we will do everything we can to help these poor creatures." Haskell smiled.

The person in the costume bowed his head, and same with Haskell.

"Yeah." Haskell laughed a bit.


	6. Arrival to Barrow

Meanwhile, 715 miles to the south of Barrow. A Military Colonel named Scott Boyer is in his garage lifting weights.

"Nine. Ten." He said each time he lifts up.

 **Eagle River, Alaska**

And then his phone rang.

"You got it. Finish it, Boyer!" He sets the weight up.

He then sat up, and approached the phone and picked it up.

"Colonel Boyer." He said. He then turns his radio off to hear better. "Yes, General."

* * *

A short time later, He and General Stanton were in their uniforms and with McGraw.

"Now, the ice breaking hover barge is up in my Prudhoe Bay drilling complex." McGraw explained filling them in. "So, all you have to do is hook a line to it, take your chopper and pull it across the ice here, all the way to Barrow." They approached a map, and he ran his index finger from Prudhoe to Barrow.

"It's 270 miles as a crow flies." Said Stanton.

"Right." McGraw said.

"Are these whales posing a threat to anyone?" Boyer asked. "How many lives are in danger?"

"None. Just the whales." Said Stanton.

"Are they at least Killer Whales, sir?" Boyer asked, possibly because they're his favorite kind of whale.

But in the wild, Killer Whales have never attacked or even killed a human.

"Relax, Scotty. This is purely a PR thing on our end. Stanton reassured.

"Right, yeah." McGraw said. "More like that. Come on back here for a sec."

McGraw leads them into his office.

"The pull will take 2 days, max." Said Stanton. "Maybe another day in Barrow, breaking the ice. You'll be home before the weekend."

"So, who an I taking my orders from then, General?" Boyer asked.

"We're all in this together, Scotty." Stanton simply said.

"Yeah. Look, Colonel, hell, if it was up to me, I'd drop a bunch of bombs to break up the ice." McGraw admitted. "But the experts say that would kill pretty much every other critter up there. So, it's the hover barge. The good news is that the pull should be a piece of cake."

"With all due respect, Mr. McGraw, nothing is that simple in the Arctic." Said Boyer. "That's why you're paying high-school dropouts $200,000 a year to work your rigs up there."

Colonel, if J.W. says it's doable, it's doable." Said Stanton.

"Yes, sir." Boyer nodded.

McGraw nodded. "Good."

* * *

Hundreds of miles back up in Barrow.

A Boeing 737 arrived in the airport with a new arrival of passengers. And in the airport, Adam, Pat, Chris, Martin and Aviva were waiting for Rachel to appear.

"This is insane." Said Adam.

"You sure she's coming from this flight?" Martin asked.

"I think." Said Aviva.

And then, Rachel appeared and soon saw them. And she waved to them, and they approached her.

"Hey, Pat." Rachel smiled.

"Hi, Rachel." Pat greeted.

"Hi, guys." Rachel greeted Chris, Martin and Aviva.

Hi, Rachel." Aviva greeted.

"Hi, Adam." Rachel greeted Adam.

"Hey." Said Adam.

And then, they hugged for a second.

"I-I brought you something." Rachel bringing out her bag.

"Oh..." Adam a little surprised.

"It's um... a birthday present, but you dumped me before I had the chance to give it to you." Rachel explained.

"Well, that's not really what happened, but thank you."

"It's a robe."

Surprise!" Adam teased.

His opens it, and reveals a light gray rode.

"I figured you could use something up here to keep you warm." Said Rachel.

"Absolutely." Adam said. "No. Thank you, this is really, really sweet of you. Thanks." And he switches back to the subject. "So, what's your plan?"

"Stop the Inupiats." She simply answered.

"Mmm-hmm." Adam nodded.

"Use the media to show the world what heartless hunters they are." And then, Adam turns his attention and noticed Jill with another reporter named Terry that just arrived.

"Adam?" Rachel called.

"What?" Adam turning back to her.

"Are you even listening to me?" Rachel asked.

"Yep, Yes, I definitely am." Adam said. "You know, the Inupiats are very good people."

"They're killers, Adam. And I'm the only thing standing between those whales and their harpoons."

"Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves." Said Chris.

"But when I'm done, the press is gonna want to hang them from the rafters." Rachel finished. "So, happy birthday."

* * *

At late afternoon, a crowd lined up at a hotel. And Jill is at the guest council.

"500 a night?" Jill in disbelief.

"Yep." Said the woman.

"For this?" Jill asked.

"Yes." She then turned to someone waiting patiently. "Okay, I'll be with you in one minute."

"Excuse me, are there any other hotels?" Jill asked.

"Nope. Take it or leave it."

Jill then brought out her credit card.

"Sorry, no credit cards." Said the woman. "Cash only. Okay, can I help whoever is next?"

The other people quickly raised their hands.

* * *

Meanwhile 270 miles to the east, Boyer is showing a group of reporters a Skycrane Helicopter.

"This machine was built in 1970." Boyer explained.

 **Prudhoe Bay, Alaska**

"The next year it enters the record books, making an ascent straight up to 36,000 feet in under 6 minutes. That's a faster climb rate than and F-14 Tomcat." Boyer continued. "So, my old girl and her sister will be pulling 75,000 pounds of hover barge from here all way to those seven whales stuck off Point Barrow."

A few minutes later, He was explained to a group of reporters in an office showing them a scale model of the barge.

"Now, the hover barge is 40 by 60 feet." Boyer explained. "We have jet-fueled turbines. These massive engines create a cushion of air right here, underneath the barge. And this causes the hover barge to lift off the ground 4 feet, enabling us to move at will, pulverizing any ice in our path."

Then a reporter spoke. "Now, how long do you..."

"I'm sorry, we're gonna get back to work now, if you don't mind." Boyer said. "Thank you."

And with that, the reports begin to leave the room.

* * *

HAPPY 20th ANNIVERSARY OF FANFICTION


	7. Inupiats' Decision

270 miles back to the west in Barrow, Malik is mending the frame of a canoe. And Nathan and Nua were with him.

"If you went back 10,000 years, our ancestors would be their umiak frame right here, just like this." Said Malik.

"At that time, Woolly Mammoths were around still." Said Nua. "Would be really great to see one alive."

"You know they have motor boats now, right, Grandpa?" Nathan reminded.

"Really?" Nua raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, boy." Said Adam's voice.

They turned and saw Adam and Aviva approaching them, and both were holding something.

"Look what I got, fresh off the cargo plane." Adam said holding a few CD's.

"What? What are they?" Nathan approached.

What do you have?" Nua asked.

"A little something for you." Aviva said.

"The next phase in your training." Adam answered.

"Awesome." Nathan excited.

"Def Leppard, Hysteria." Adam handing them to him. "Rattle and Hum by U2. And Guns N' Roses, Appetite for Destruction."

"Wow! Thank you so much." Said Nathan.

"And for you Nua, a little something to build and involving the Arctic." Aviva handing her a Lego Arctic 60193 Air Transport set that includes a Sabertooth.

"No way, cool!" Nua excitedly.

"And a little something extra big." Aviva handing an Arctic 60195 Mobile Exploration Base set including a Mammoth.

"Awesome, thank you so much." Said Nua.

"And for your Walkman." Adam holding a packet of double AA batteries.

"Batteries. Yes." Nathan taking them and then turned to his grandfather. "I gotta go. I got batteries. I'll be right back." he then rushes inside.

And then Nua rushes home to get started on her 2 gifts. "Thanks!"

"If we all got that excited about batteries, right?" Adam approached Malik. "Hey, so you going to this Whaling Captains meeting tonight? Seems like there's a lot riding on the outcome."

"They are expecting you, right?" Aviva asked.

"I put Roy in charge." Said Malik.

"Roy?" Adam a bit surprised. "Roy and Rachel, that's-that's gonna get ugly."

"I can almost picture it right now." Said Aviva.

"Malik, you know there's a lot of press here now." Said Adam. "And they don't understand your people, or what it take for you to survive."

"We don't need them to understand us." Said Malik.

"You may need them more than you think."

"Yeah, surely they can understand when time is given." Said Aviva.

Malik reminded silent for a moment. "I have work to finish."

Adam nodded understandably. "Okay."

"We understand." Aviva said.

And then the 2 begin to leave.

"Stay warm." Aviva said.

And Malik seemed uneasy.

* * *

Hours later, everyone was at the meeting. And right now, Rachel was arguing with Roy.

"Why won't you give a chance to get them out?" Rachel asked. "I have a barge that's just days away, but instead you want to k-kill a family? Four babies, for God's sake! For sport!"

"No, no. Hold on." Roy trying to reason with her. "It's what I feed my family. And it's what we feed our babies. The whale chooses the Whaler and they have chosen us."

"The whale told you this?" Rachel sarcastically. "Did it write you a letter?"

"Oh, dear." Martin said.

"Here we go." Koki worried.

"Dear Roy, I'd be honored if you would drag me up to the beach, harpoon me and slice me up." Rachel sarcastically teased.

"Hold-Hold on, here. Hold on." Roy thinking it was a joke.

"Best wishes, the whale." Rachel finished.

"No, no. What you're saying is ridiculous." Said Roy. "You're a white girl from out of town. You don't belong here! This is Inupiat country." The crowd agrees with him and claps.

"Roy, every Inupiat gets a huge stipend for the drilling rights to the oil for their land." Rachel said as some of the crowd turn to each other. "You can buy all the food that you want."

"Rachel, we have to hunt!" Roy said. "One day, that oil's gonna right run out, and when it does, the money will stop coming. If we don't teach our children how to feed themselves, they're gonna starve. And who's gonna feed them then? Are you?"

And then, there was a sound of doors opening. And they looked, and saw Malik in a heavy coat walking in. And they all turned to him, and Malik looks over to Roy. And after a moment, Malik nodded his head.

"Let's take a 5 minute break." Roy said to everyone.

* * *

Shortly after, Malik and the other Whaling Captains were in a room outside next of the meeting room discussing. Then Mailk glances over and saw Nathan with a camera guy showing him how it works.

"Hey, guys. Hey, guys." Mailk called to them. "Guys, listen to what I have to say." And then went quiet and listened to him. "Listen to what I have to say. You know the world has gotten bigger for us. And the outsiders have taken away so much. They moved to our land. They've even changed our way of life. But we still survive, right?" They all nodded. "But if we give them pictures of us killing those whales, they could take away our rights to hunt. And that would be our end."

"But maybe that's why we need to fight them." Said Roy. "Make them understand that we respect and honor whales. That the ocean is our garden. And that the whales that they keep us alive."

Malik shook his head. "All they will see is blood."

* * *

A few minutes later, they were all gathered back in the meeting.

"May I have your attention, please." Malik called. "Attention, please." Everyone soon turns to him, and then Mailk spoke a native language. "The Whaling Captains of Barrow have decided we're going to help free the whales!"

Everyone was surprised and amazed by that. And some even started clapping.

And Malik glanced to Adam, and he smiled.


	8. Fred, Wilma and Bamm-Bamm

Early the next morning at dawn, Malik is out on the sea ice. And starts chanting an Inupiat song, possibly as a sign to greet the whales.

Below him, the 7 whales swam around close to their lifeline. Still hanging on as long as they can, and then the Gray Whale calf, Bumper and Blue Jr approached the hole to surfaced. Possibly curious the of the chanting.

And soon, the 3 calves surfaced for air and Malik smiled and continued his chant. And the 3 lowered their heads beneath the water, and Malik got up and approached his snowmobile and then came back with a chainsaw that he brought with him.

He soon starts it up, and begins to cut the hole's rim to make it wider.

* * *

Back at the town, people gathered around as they begin to head out to the whales.

And the locals, had snowmobiles and dog sleds ready to give people a ride to them.

Meanwhile, in the Amigo's restaurant, Adam enters inside for breakfast. And then he noticed Jill at a table having some coffee, and then approaches her.

"Is this seat taken?" Adam asked.

He then sat down. "Oh, man. What am I gonna have this morning?" He then grabs a menu. "I usually do the Eight-Egg Breakfast Burrito, which is fantastic, but the Pile-o-Pancakes with a ham steak is tempting. What do you think I so get?"

"The name of a good cardiologist." Jill said.

Adam laughed a bit. "Nice. I'm Adam Carlson, by the way. I've been working up here for a few months and... I broke the whale story."

"So, you're the reason we're all here." Jill said.

"Guilty as charged." Adam raised his hands.

"I'm Jill Gerard." She offered her hand and he shook it. "KABC, Los Angeles."

"KABC, Los Angeles." Adam at the same time. "And before that, KPHX, Phoenix."

"Yeah, how did you know..."

"I like to watch a lot of feeds from around the world. It's sort of a thing that I do. Hey, by the way, I loved that story you had on the Olympian. The javelin thrower from Watts. Great!" He then noticed a waitress. "Hey, Dana."

"Um. Do you know what you want?" Dana asked. "You better hurry because we're running out of everything."

"Yeah, uh, what are gonna have?" Adam asked Jill. And she gestured the coffee. "That's it?" She nodded. "No, no, you gotta eat." He then turned to Dana. "We're gonna have 2 number threes." She took the order and leaves. "Thank you."

"Uh... No, I'm on a very strict diet." Said Jill. "Fat ladies with oily skin don't report the news in Los Angeles."

"If you don't have 10,000 calories today, you won't last 5 minutes out there." Said Adam.

"I won't eat 10,000 calories in a year." Jill said. "And I don't have the cash."

"Oh, it's fine. It's on me?"

Jill smiled. "What was your name again?"

Close by, Rachel was getting her coat on getting ready to head out. And then noticed Adam talking to Jill, he did saw her and waved hi. And she did the same and headed out.

* * *

Several minutes later, they headed outside.

"And thank you again, Adam." Said Jill.

"Yeah, absolutely." Adam said. "Go get them today. Yikes! What am I, your coach? Just have a good day.

"Okay." Jill said.

And Adam headed out.

A moment later, Terry met up with Jill.

"Let's find a ride." Jill said.

"Cardboard! Get your cardboard!" Nathan called holding a few cardboard pieces. And then approached Jill. "Hey! You want to buy some cardboard?"

"What?" Jill asked.

"Cardboard for sale." Nathan said.

"Why would I need cardboard?"

"To stand on the ice. $20."

"20 bucks?"

"Yeah."

"No, thanks, kid. This is not my first rodeo."

"Okay." Nathan walked away.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the sea ice, Malik and a few other men have managed to cut the hole bigger and wider.

And the hole and once 17 feet, is now over 20 feet across. And the whales have room to surface rather than surface one by one. And Swirly has enough room to do a single porpoise bound. Blue Jr even has enough room to raise to the surface without raising her head vertically.

And then there was a sound as they turned and saw a number of snowmobiles approaching them.

* * *

Meanwhile in town, Adam is in a truck with Pat and Rachel heading to the ice.

"Adam?" Jill trying to stop them. "Adam! Wait up!" The truck then stopped.

And Adam opens to the door.

"Hi." Jill said.

"Hey." Adam said.

"Do you have room for two room?" Jill asked.

"Yeah, we're good, right, Pat?" Adam asked.

"Sure." Said Pat.

Adam begins to scoot a little.

"Thank you." Jill said. "Terry, load it in."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Rachel stopping them. "Press have to find their own way out there."

"Never heard that one before." Adam said. "Did you just made that up?"

"No. Everybody is doing it." Rachel answered.

"Come on, lady, help me out." Jill said. "Do it for the whales."

"You don't care about the whales." Rachel said. "You care about ratings."

"Yeah, the ratings are what's gonna keep the rescue going which is gonna save the whales."

"She's right." Pat said.

Meanwhile not too far away, the Wild Kratts were in the Createrra getting ready to head out.

And at the moment, Martin was having a small problem starting the engine from the cold.

"Okay, almost got it." Martin said.

Then the engine started running. "There!"

They need begin to head out.

* * *

Out on the sea ice, the reporters are setting on their cameras.

And soon, Adam, Rachel and the Wild kratts arrived. And then they approached the hole at the edge.

"Rachel, I'd like you to meet Fred." Adam said.

And then the male Gray Whale now named Fred surfaced for air.

"Hi, Fred." Rachel said.

"And Wilma." Adam gestured to left.

And then the Gray female now named Wilma came up as well.

"Good morning, Wilma." Rachel said. "You're beautiful."

"And this is Bamm-Bamm."

And lastly, the Gray calf named Bamm-Bamm surface in front of them.

And Rachel was in complete awe. "Hi, Bamm-Bamm." And then remembered something. "Wait, isn't Pebbles Fred and Wilma's kid?"

"Yeah, but Pebbles was also a girl. So..."

Then Rachel saw the injury on Bamm-Bamm's nose. "He looks hurt."

"They've been taking a beating out here." Said Adam.

"Oh, Rachel." Martin said. "We'd like you to meet Bumper."

And then Bumper rose up.

"Hi, Bumper." Rachel laughed a bit.

"And Swirly." Said Chris.

And Swirly pops her head from the water looking at them.

"Hi there, Swirly. You're so precious." Said Rachel.

"Here's Two Tusker." Koki said.

And then Two Tusker came up for air.

"Hi. Wait why Two Tusker?" Rachel asked.

"He's actually a 2 tusk Narwhal." Chris answered.

"And last but not least, Blue Jr." Aviva said.

And then Blue Jr rose to the surface, and gazes upon them.

"Hi, Blue Jr aren't you beautiful." Rachel said.

And then Blue Jr disappeared quickly went under the water.

"She looks scared." Rachel said.

"Yeah, away from her mother." Aviva said. "Cold and hungry as well."

Then as Malik cuts a section of ice with his chainsaw, Wilma came up for air a little bit too close.

Rachel saw that. "Be careful!" She then got up and approached him.

"Rachel..." Adam trying to stop her.

Wilma soon went under and Malik didn't move the saw not wanting to harm her.

"Rachel... Rachel!" Adam stopping her. "These guys have volunteered to be out here in conditions that no one else would survive, so just go easy." He then turns to Malik. "Malik, you remember Rachel Kramer. Greenpeace."

Malik nodded.

And then he removed his right glove and shook Rachel's hand.

"How's it going?" Rachel asked.

"They seemed to be used to the sound of the saw, but the little one is having trouble navigating now." Malik said. "Sometimes hitting the side. And I just noticed that the Blue one seems to be having trouble swimming properly."

"Well, has anyone been down there yet?" Rachel asked.

"Rachel." Adam said.

"No, and no one is gonna go down there." Pat said.

"Why not?" Rachel asked.

"Because Grays can take out 10,000 pound Killer Whales with one swipe of their fluke if they feel threatened." Pat explained. "It would be suicide. And their size makes the Blue Whale the biggest Mammal on Earth, for a reason. Their size keeps adults safe, and a Blue at that size can still swat a diver with it's fluke like a fly."

"I'm afraid he's right." Chris said. "At this point, Blue Jr must be too scared for a diver to go down there."

And then Malik approaches a Inupiat that just arrived on a snowmobile.

And then Pat approaches Malik.

"Well, Pat, we have a big, big problem." Said Malik.

* * *

Later that day, Malik and Pat climbed onto the top of a ridge of ice.

And overlooking the open ocean, and in the clear open water was a pod of Killer Whales and Narwhals, As wells as a female Sperm Whale and Blue Whale gathered near the ridge. But the Orcas were not attacking the other whales, they were all swimming around close to the ridge. It was almost as if they were concern of something.

As it turns out, they are actually Bumper and Blue Jr's mother. And Swirly and Two Tusker's family pod, all gather at the ridge and concerned of their calves.

 _"Stretching for miles and dropping like a wall straight to the bottom ocean, this massive ice blocks any path the whales might take to freedom."_ Beckford reported. _"An ice-blasting hover barge is on the way, but who knows if it will get there in time as this icy barrier, known as a pressure ridge, thickens by the hour. Anticipating its arrival, Eskimo scouting teams are anxiously looking for a weak spot-"_ Beckford standing on the ridge. "along this seemingly impenetrable wall of ice." He then gestures out to the whales in the open waters. "And as you can see, this gathering of a pod of Killer Whales and Narwhals, a Sperm Whale and Blue Whale behind me. A gathering like this has never been seen or documented before. But many believe and said that they might be the 4 lost calve's families knowing and waiting for theirs calves to be broken out of their prison of ice. And some of the Killer Whales were seen swimming up and down the side of the ridge, scouting for a way in."

* * *

Thousands of miles to south, Kelly was at her desk. And then her phone rang and she picked it up.

"Kelly Meyers." She called. "Y-Yes. I'll be right in."

* * *

A few moments later, she was talking with an adviser.

"I mean, your whale story is just reminding voters that we've got a lousy environmental record." He said. "It's killing the Vice President on the campaign trail."

"Then helping these whales might be our last best chance to change that perception around." Said Kelly.

"My job is to help the VP get elected while buffing our legacy to a mirror shine before we leave office. Right? Do you really think that we can get involved in this rescue, make it a success that we can sell, and not do anything to embarrass the President?"

"Yes, I do." Kelly nodded.

"All right, then get to it, Meyers. Okay. All right."

* * *

Thousands of miles to north in Prudhoe, Boyer and his team were in the Skycranes getting ready to head out.

And then a man approached his chopper and bang the door.

Boyer opens the door. "What?!"

"Colonel!" Said the man. "They need you inside! The White House is on the phone!"

"Tell them I'll call them back!" Boyer said.

"Sir?" The man holding him from closing the door.

"Kid, I've got two helos about to pull something bigger than my own house that, if not done correctly, sends me and the other chopper spiraling to the ground in stereophonic explosions." Boyer explained. "Unless that's the President himself, I got bigger fish to fry! Take a number, I'll call them back!" He then closed the door.

"You ready to do this?" He asked his co-pilot.

"You were kidding about the stereophonic explosion thing, right?" He asked.

"I'd say there's a 60-40 chance that won't happen." Boyer admittedly assured. "You want to find out? Time to rock and roll."

* * *

 **Fun Fact:**

 **The real names of Fred, Wilma and Bamm-Bamm were given inuit names as Putu, Siku, and Kanik. In English terms, it's Bonnet, Crossbeak and Bone.**


	9. The World Beneath

It was now midday, and the reporters were still continuing on with their job.

"It was predicted that the whales would not last more than two days." Reported a man.

"The Eskimos have set up a protective triangle around the trapped whales." A woman reported. "At the ready with their high-powered rifles in case Polar Bears decide to get too close."

"Today, the rescue continues in earnest, amidst 20-below temperatures and..." Jill was getting cold by her feet. "Cut, cut. God, my feet are numb. These boots are useless." She then turns to Nathan. "Hey, kid?"

"Yeah?" Said Nathan.

"You still got that cardboard?" Jill asked.

"I sold it to that guy." Nathan said. "But I can still get more."

"All right. Come here." Jill approached and handed him $20.

"It's 40 now." Said Nathan.

"You're kidding?" Jill in disbelief.

"Shipping and handling."

"Shipping and.."

She then hands him $40.

"And it's not my first rodeo either." Nathan said.

Jill just stared in disbelief and being outwitted by him.

"I made another sale." Nathan ran pass Adam.

"Nice one." Adam with a cup and pour some coffee. "All right. Hot coffee. Gotta drink quick, though."

"Thank you." Jill relieved and took it.

And then Nua approaches Chris with some hot chocolate. "Hot cocoa?"

"Don't mind if I do." Chris having some.

"All right." Said Adam. And then he noticed a Eskimo cutting a hole a few feet away from the ice. "What are those guys doing?"

And then they turned and saw Rachel in a cold heavy wetsuit and scuba gear. And is joined by Aviva also in he wetsuit. And both are making their way to the hole.

"Excuse me." Adam leaving.

"What the?" Chris confused.

Adam rushed up to Rachel. "What are you doing? You're not going down there. You heard Pat. It's too dangerous."

"What are you 2 up to?" Chris asked.

"We have to least check on them somehow." Said Aviva.

"Their getting in." Jill said as she and Terry approached them. "Follow me."

"Rachel..." Adam said.

Rachel sat down at the edge of the hole. "You don't get a say in what I do anymore." She placing her scuba flippers on.

"Oh, that's very mature." Adam said.

"All right. Are they in frame?" Jill asked. "I'm just gonna..." Jill trying to stand at the right spot. "No, I'm not." And then got in place. "Great."

Rachel turned back to Adam. "What's she doing?"

"Her job." Adam simply said.

"I like her makeup." Rachel placing the other fin on. "I'm pretty sure it was tested on animals."

"Okay, okay. Will you just stop?" Adam said. "You don't even have a safety diver."

"And that's why I asked Aviva." Rachel said. "Other than that. Then I'm risking my own life."

"Well, there's a big surprise. You don't listen to what anybody else thinks. You just do whatever you want to do, right?"

Rachel puts on her mask. "Yeah."

"And you wonder why we're not dating anymore."

Rachel stares at him for a moment, and then she place her regulator in her mouth.

"Would you just.. wait a second?" Adam said.

And then Rachel slid into the water, and followed by Aviva.

"Rachel? Rachel!" Adam trying to stop her. But was too late. "Damn it."

"Don't worry Adam, she's with Aviva." Chris reassured. "They should be fine."

* * *

Below them, the water temperature was very well below freezing.

Rachel and Aviva can still feel the cold even from their wetsuits.

And soon, the 7 whales appeared. The 2 divers watched and then Wilma swam right by them and up. And she approached the main hole to breath. Even next to these adult Grays, they were completely small compared to them, and Fred and Wilma are as big as a city bus and 6 times heavier than an African Elephant.

Soon Wilma lowers down, and then they saw Fred gently helping Bamm-Bamm up with a nudge. And then, Bamm-Bamm reveals that he has a piece of netting wrapped around the base of his tail fluke. And then Blue Jr appeared from the darkness, and reveals that she somehow gotten some netting on her as well. As well as around her tail, there was a strap going from the tail wrapped up along her back and wrapped around her right flipper. Which explains why she was having trouble swimming properly.

They watched as the 2 calves surfaced for air, and Blue Jr seems to be swimming properly enough to move around to surface. But any whale caught in entanglement is in dire trouble.

Rachel and Aviva carefully swim up to Bamm-Bamm and Blue Jr. And as thought, Blue Jr was indeed scared of being trapped and being away from her mother. But then after seeing Aviva, she does seem to recognize her and calms down a bit.

And then, Rachel reaches out and gently pets Bamm-Bamm's injured nose. And Aviva gently strokes Blue Jr on her nose. And as Rachel looks into the young Gray's eye, it was almost like she was looking at his soul. And that he looks sad and scared.

And then Rachel and Aviva slowly swam up to the 2 whales from behind and towards their flukes, which is the powerhouse of the whale that allows them to move. Rachel examines the netting around Bamm-Bamm's fluke, and by the looks of it. It doesn't seem to be causing any harm, or cutting off the blood flow. And there were no sign of flesh wounds.

Aviva brought out her Creaturepod, and scans the netting on Blue Jr's tail. The scan shows that the netting around her tail is indeed slightly cutting off the blood flow. And the same in her flipper, and there were signs of bruising from constant tail movement.

And any whale caught in net entanglement is a dying whale.

They both know that some whales drown from net entanglements. And then Rachel brought a knife strapped to her left leg. And begins to cut the netting off, and being as careful as she can trying not to cut Bamm-Bamm. And amazingly, he kept still as he was cooperating with her.

And Aviva noticed a weak spot on the strap of netting on Blue's back if was almost as if something was biting it. And then Swirly appeared, and opens her mouth and used to front teeth to try and cut the strap off. But it was too thick to snap off, and then Aviva gently grabs hold of the section. And then finally manages to pull it off as Rachel cuts off the main coil of Bamm-Bamm's netting. And he swims free, and surprisingly the strap was the main hold of Blue Jr's netting and after a few shakes the netting on her tail falls off and the 2 whales swim and then turns to them.

And then Blue Jr swam up and made a bellow almost as if she was saying thank you.

* * *

And then, Rachel pops up through the small hole and placing the netting on the ice. And Adam and Pat help her up, and Chris and Martin help Aviva out after.

Rachel removes her regulator and mask off. "I knew something was wrong with Bamm-Bamm."

"I had a feeling that Blue Jr was in troubled by something." Said Aviva.

"And I told you not to go in the water." Said Pat.

"That was caught around Bamm-Bamm and Jr's fluke." Rachel gestured to the netting. "It's probably why Fred and Wilma had to keep helping it to the surface."

And why Blue Jr had trouble swimming right." Aviva said.

"But netting from where?" Adam said as they helped them up.

"Could have come from anywhere." Rachel said.

"Bamm-Bamm must've pick it up somewhere along the trip north." Koki said.

"Those oceans are so polluted, I'm shocked I didn't find an old tire wrapped around one of its fins." Said Rachel.

Pat then picks up the netting. "Well, maybe cutting them loose will help them bounce back a little."

"You're totally welcome, by the way." Rachel said.

And then she and Aviva walked away to warm up.

"Freezing." Aviva said.

* * *

Meanwhile, over 200 miles to the east and approaching. Boyer and his team are slowly and steadily towing the 37 ton hover barge across the ice. And in order to pull it forward, the 2 heavy lifting helicopters are tilted into a 45 degree angle.

"That's it." Boyer seeing the pressure ridge. "Damn, this thing's a beast.

the co-pilot nodded in agreement.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Barrow, McGraw had recently just arrived on a small passenger plane.

And at the moment, he was trying to do an interview.

"Believe me... No, wait. Hold a second." He removes his shades. "All right, ready? Believe me, if the oil were above the ground, it'd make my life a whole lot easier, but it's not. But that does not mean we don't care about God's creatures just as much as anybody."

"Yeah, that's good." Said the cameraman.

"All right." McGraw placing his shades back on. And they begin to head out. "Hey, you make sure you get lots of good footage with me and those big fish. I just bought us a load of Super Bowl ads. When the Alaska Northern logo, I want them thinking, "Friend of the Environment," all right?"

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the sea ice, Nathan continues on with his cardboard sale.

"Last chance, cardboard?" He went up to a reporter. "No? Have a nice day." He then approached another reporter. "Half price, only $10."

"No, I'm okay." He said.

"Okay." He then approached another. "You look like you need a..."

"Mmm-mmm." She shook her head.

"Okay." Nathan said.

And then Nua appeared, and then Malik approached them and looked a bit firm.

"I only sold a couple of pieces, Grandpa." Said Nathan. "And the people are asking for them. So, what's the big deal?"

"Come with me for a minute. Okay?" Malik said as they wandered.

And then got to a section of the hole near the edge.

"Kneel down, right there." Malik said.

"What?" Nathan turned to him.

"Kneel down right there. Come on."

"Okay." Nua kneeling down.

"Put your ear on the ice." Malik said. "Come on, listen?"

They lied down flat on the ice. And then they started hearing the whales calling below them.

"You hear them?" Malik asked. "The mother is speaking to the little one. Her calls are calm, gentle. Soothing. Do you hear her?"

"Mmm-mmm." Nathan said.

And then they turn to each over.

"What do you think she is trying to tell her baby?" Malik asked.

"I think, maybe to reassure him that everything will be okay." Said Nua.

"Umm... What you said." Nathan said.

Almost expecting something, Malik lifts up a cover of Nathan's hat revealing headphones that he was listening to some music.

"Real mature." Nua raising an eyebrow.

And then there was a car horn beating. And they turned and saw McGraw approaching them.

"Excuse me!" McGraw called. "I seem to have lost 7 whales around here. Anybody seen them?" A few people laughed a bit, and then Aviva came back after warming up. And she and the others watched. "Anybody?" They laughed a bit, and a few reporters gathered around him as they approached the edge of the hole.

"All right. Let's take a look at these critters." McGraw standing at the edge.

"I think the others might wanna see this." Chris bringing out his Creaturepod.

"Hello, down there!" McGraw called. "Anybody home?"

After a few moments, Fred, Bumper, Swirly and Blue Jr surfaced. And then suddenly, Fred and Bumper blew some mist from their blowholes. And because how Bumper's was angled on the left corner of his nose. They covered McGraw in snow, and then Swirly flicks some water at him with her tail. And everyone started laughing from that, and even McGraw laughed and removed his snow covered glasses.

"Did you see that?!" McGraw laughed. And then he turned to the whales. "Do it again, I dare you!"

Then Wilma came up, and the 5 whales seem to be laughing on the inside. And finding it funny as well, as Swirly made a playful sound. As if she was laughing.

And everyone continuing laughing.

And it appears even whales too have a sense of humor.

* * *

And the Tortuga, Koki and Jimmy saw that.

"If McGraw had a comedy show, I'd watched it." Jimmy said.

"I think we just did." Koki said.

And they laughed.

* * *

Later at evening, Rachel is doing an interview while Adam films.

"And the plight of these whales represents so much more than them being trapped in the ice." Said Rachel. "Soon, the water itself is going to be a threat to us all. In 15 years, the biggest business in the US is going to be bottled water because we're not gonna wanna touch the tap stuff. And enjoy your fish now because soon the mercury content will make it too dangerous to eat. So, if you want tremors and babies born with terrible..."

And then Adam removed his headgear and rubbed his face.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"Well. Congratulations, 10 million people just changed the channel." Adam said. "So..."

"Well..." Rachel shrugged.

"Come on, Rachel." Adam said. "Nobody on the Earth cares more about these whales than you do. So, tell people about it. You were down there. What's-What's Bamm-Bamm and Blue Jr like? Or, be honest, why do we care about whales this much at all? I mean, what if they were like Deer or Lizards or something?"

"Because even though they are big and powerful, they're vulnerable, too." Rachel said. "And it just makes you wish you that you were Superman, and you could just scoop them up and bring them somewhere safe."

Sensing it was getting somewhere, Adam got behind the camera.

"And what's heartbreaking is they know what's going on." Rachel went on. "They know they're in trouble and they're scared. And we ache for them because they're so much like us. We get scared and we're vulnerable, and we need help sometimes, too." And after a moment, she turned to him. "Better?"

"Much." Adam said.


	10. Generating Hope

_"Those three California Gray Whales, Sperm Whale, Blue Whale, Killer Whale and Narwhal trapped in the Arctic ice off Alaska are no nearer to freedom tonight."_

Kelly is trying to get in contact with Boyer.

"I don't understand." Said Kelly on the phone. "Can't you just patch me through to the helicopter?" She then sighs. "Okay, when he returns, please have him call. Thank you."

She then hangs the phone up.

She then turns to the small TV on her desk.

 _"The whale's only real hope of escape is the unusual hover barge en route from Prudhoe Bay. The size of a hockey rink, the barge uses tons of compressed air to push down the ice, cracking, then demolishing it."_ Kelly then glanced over to the Chief of Staff, and she gave him a thumb's up. _"The hover barge is expected to arrive in 48 hours."_

* * *

Thousands of miles to the north in the Arctic, Boyer and and his co-pilot have just recently arrived to the hanger.

And then a member approached Boyer.

"Colonel?" He said. "These are from the White House." He gave him a few notes. "They need a progress report."

Boyer takes a look at them. "Great. Now all I need is some actual progress to report."

* * *

Kelly woke with a bit of a jump when her phone rang.

And she picked it up. "Kelly Meyers."

 _"Yes ma'am, this Colonel Scott Boyer of the Alaska National Guard. I'm told you called a few times."_

"Yeah, just a few." Said Kelly. "Colonel, we'd like to set up a call for you with the President tomorrow."

* * *

"Yes ma'am. The President?" Said Boyer.

 _"Yeah. It'll take just a couple minutes."_

* * *

"He'll thank you for your work." Kelly said. "He'll reiterate the administration's support and..."

* * *

"I can't really commit to a time." Boyer simply said.

* * *

Kelly was confused.

"You can't find 5 minutes for the President of the-"

* * *

 _"-United States?"_

"I'm trying to crack a pretty tough nut up here." Said Boyer. "If I can nail down a time, I'll let you know before 0900 Alaska Standard."

And then hangs up.

* * *

Kelly then sets her phone down.

"Okay." She said awkwardly.

* * *

Boyer walks into his office, and his phone was ringing and answers it.

"Colonel Boyer." He called.

 _"Are you always so formal?"_

* * *

As it turns out, Kelly looked a lot more persuasive then she looks.

"Do you know hoe to speak like a normal person?" She asked.

* * *

Boyer was a bit off guard.

 _"Like, when your mother asks you if you liked-"_

* * *

"-the cookies that she sent, do you say "Roger that"?"

* * *

Boyer tries to find the right words.

"Damn, no, I mean, I'm sorry. I..."

 _"it's okay to lighten up a little bit."_

* * *

"Here, why don't we just start over." Kelly said.

 _"Yes, ma'am."_

"Hi, I'm Kelly."

* * *

"Hi, I'm Colonel... I'm Scott."

He then sat down.

"And I'm exhausted."

* * *

 _"The saga of the seven whales trapped by Arctic ice and the heroic efforts of rescuers to save them grew more desperate today."_ Reported a man.

* * *

 _"The whales are fatigued by their efforts to survive, and one of them, the baby of the family, affectionately known as Bamm-Bamm may be seriously ill. And one of the 4 lost calves known as Blue Jr, many feared that she may be suffering from hunger and possibly started to suffer hypothermia."_

Out on the sea ice, Rachel, Pat, Malik, Chris and Aviva watched as Bamm-Bamm came up for air.

"You hear that?" Pat hearing his spout. "It's not good."

"Sounds like an old man." Malik said.

"Sounds like Pneumonia." Said Pat.

And then Blue Jr came up as well. Chris brought out his Creaturepod and did health scans on the 2 calves. And the results are not looking well. Pneumonia is when air sacs in the lungs are filled with fluid. Cases of Pneumonia are common in people, it happens often when someone is running a fever, coughing, an increase in heart rate like running. But it's rare to find cases of it in Whales. But the first reported of Pneumonia is found in 1959 in a Fin Whale.

It was clear that Bamm-Bamm is seriously sick. And Blue Jr is clear with healthy lungs, but her fat reserves are running dangerously low as well as her energy levels.

"Where's that damn barge?" Rachel getting concern.

"Let's just hope they'll be here in time." Said Chris.

"Yeah, Bamm-Bamm and Blue Jr are not feeling well." Aviva said.

* * *

Meanwhile, Boyer and his team of the Sky Cranes are out towing the hover barge.

"Yes, I'm ready for the call." Boyer called through his radio. "Patch him through." He glance his co-pilot. "Your controls."

"My controls." He took over.

"Yes. Hello, Mr. President." Boyer called. "Yes, sir, it's going very well, sir. Very well. We're making steady progress. Thank you, sir. Just happy to be part of such an important operation, sir. Yes, sir. Okay. Goodbye, Mr. president." He glance his co-pilot for a second. "I just spoke to President Trump."

"I noticed you didn't mention we've only moved this freaking barge 20 feet." Said the co-pilot.

"My controls."

"Your controls."

* * *

At the White House, Kelly and a few others were watching the news.

 _"Today the whales' plight officially became a national affair."_

Then the TV showed a picture of Trump on a phone. _"We're very proud of all of you and what you're doing up there."_

"Nice job, Meyers." Said the Chief of Staff.

 _"Meanwhile the whales' situation becomes more dire with each passing day. With weather conditions deteriorating, a brutal cold front could easily seal their fate in a matter of days. In Northern Alaska, ice is always the enemy."_

* * *

Thousands of miles, in Minnesota 2 men named Karl Hootkin and his brother in law Dean Glowacki were in a garage with some de-icing machines. And the TV was on showing the whales.

"It's a great idea." Said Karl.

"No, it's not." Said Dean. "It's stupid."

"Well, the people in Barrow don't think so." Karl disagreeing with that.

 **Minneapolis, Minnesota**

Dean sighed. "Oh! You spoke with the people in Barrow, did you?"

"Yes, I did, and they're waiting for us." Karl turning to him.

"Eh. This is ridiculous. "Dean said. "I don't even know why we're having this conversation."

"Why shouldn't we go?"

"Because... we gotta pay back my father the money he loaned us to build these things. If I take off time from work to go up to Alaska for some whales, ain't gonna happen!"

"This whale thing could be the publicity we've been looking for. I mean you know how well those things worked up in Moose Lake. They thawed Ed Maura's party boat right out!"

Then there was a buzzing sound of someone waiting outside.

"Give me a break, all right?" Dean heading to the door. "That's down here. It's not up in the North Pole, for Pete's sake.

"Ice is ice, Dean." Karl said. "This is our moment. One day, I'm telling you, there is going to be a plaque right up on that wall reminding everyone that this was the day we took our shot and we showed the world what the Hootkin 450 could do!"

The buzzer went off again, and Dean opened the door and a young news woman stood outside.

"Hi! Are you the brave men going up to save the whales?" She asked.

Dean stood still, and Karl look over his shoulder.

"Yes." Dean finally spoke. "Yes, we are."

* * *

October, 19th

Back up in Barrow, Adam and Rachel were playing a Scrabble match and Nathan was listening in his headphones. And Chris and Martin were sorting out their Power Discs as Aviva and Nua watched.

"That's not gonna be enough." Adam said. "Yikes. I really have you up on the ropes, and you come out with "soil"."

"I have to get back out on the ice." Rachel said. "But first, I'm gonna clean your clock."

"I got a news flash for you, Cocky Mcgee." Adam said with a warning tone. "I've been working on my two-letter words, okay? I'm dangerous."

Rachel laughed a bit.

"Okay, I hate to do it to you, but..." Adam placed a few letters. "Oof! "Zipper." Triple-letter and 38 points." He then looks at his watch. "Oh, man! You gotta go."

Nathan removes his headphones. "Okay, hold on." He then removes a tape from his recorder and held it out to Rachel. "I got something for you."

"What's this?" Rachel grabbing it.

"Guns N' Roses, Sweet Child o' Mine." Nathan said. "Play it for Bamm-Bamm. It sounds just like his mom, because Axl Rose sings like a whale. You know how he like..." He then made a funny eerie sound, causing Rachel to laugh a bit. "It's sound high."

"It's pretty true to life, actually." Adam said.

"Thank you." Nathan said.

"Well, it's the Humpback Whale that can really sing." Martin said.

"You really care about those whales, don't you?" Rachel asked.

"No, it's my grandfather who worships them." Nathan said. "He has a bunch of prayers about them and everything. It's weird. So, what do you say? 30 bucks and I'll lend you the magic of Guns N' Roses for 24 hours."

Rachel hands back the tape.

"Okay, Gordon Gekko, we get it." Said Adam. Nice try, though. Do you know that when you don't show up for your grandmother I get in trouble? You know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Nathan getting up.

"This woman has a knife collection that..." Adam said.

Rachel laughed a bit.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow?" Nathan getting his jacket on.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Adam said.

"Okay, bye."

"I'm gonna head home now." Nua getting up and leaves.

"Okay, see you tomorrow." Chris said.

"He really looks up to you." Rachel said.

"Are you surprised?" Adam asked. "Well, he just needed a friend, I think. Plus, he's pretty cool. And I'm pretty cool, so maybe I just needed a friend."

"You shouldn't let them take advantage of you." Said Rachel.

"Who's that?" Adam asked.

"The reporters you're sucking up to."

Adam knew what she meant. "Well, I'm not... Not sucking up. Hey, you know what? I'm not one of your endangered critters that needs saving. So, thanks, anything."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

Then a woman came inside.

"The temperature is dropping so fast out there." She said.

Rachel looked a little certain. "You know what? My head just isn't in this, and I should get back onto the ice." She grabs her things.

Yeah, I think I'm gonna head back out as well." Aviva getting up.

At the guest counter, Karl and Dean who just arrived, were arguing.

"I thought you said everything was taken care of!" Dean said.

"How was I supposed to know there is only one place in this town to stay?" Karl asked.

"I don't know, Karl, maybe pick up a phone and call ahead, huh?"

Then Karl noticed Rachel and Aviva heading outside.

"Th-Th... The Greenpeace lady from the TV!" Karl said. "And that other one, she's from that Kratt group I heard of. Come on, grab your stuff there, Dean-o." They quickly grab their bags. "You'll see everything's going to be okay. Come on!"

"All right, hold on, now. Wait for me!" Dean right behind him.

They quickly head outside to catch up with Rachel.

"Hey, lady!" Karl called.

"Hey!" Dean called.

"Hey, miss!" Karl called. "Greenpeace lady, miss! Kratt lady, hold on! Wait, please, miss."

Rachel and Aviva turns to them as they caught up with her.

"I'm Karl. This is my brother-in-law, Dean." Karl introduced. "We're up from the Twin Cities and we brought the amazing De-icers!"

"What?" Rachel confused.

"It's keeps the ice off your boats when it's dock." Dean said. "So, we figured you could use them to keep those whale holes from freezing over."

"Yeah, yeah, you just give us the word and we'll head out to the whales." Said Karl.

"You bet."

"Look, I'm sure that you think your idea can help." Said Rachel. "By now, we've heard everything, but we've got it under control."

"Hold on a second, lady!" Dean stopping her. "Uh. So, you didn't know we were coming?"

"Sorry, no." Rachel said and headed to her snowmobile.

Karl and Dean looked crestfallen.

"Oh, my God." Dean complained.

* * *

Meanwhile, out on the ice.

The situation is becoming dire, as ice slush is forming on the water. And the group are fighting to keep the hole open. And the whales are fighting for each breath.

Then Pat got up, and approached a thermometer.

"Malik!" Pat called.

He looks at the thermometer, and the red line is dangerously near 50 below.

"You need to see this!"

* * *

Unaware of the trouble that is brewing, Karl and Dean entered in Amigos.

"Festive." Said Karl.

As they went to find a table, they walked pass Jill arguing with Wes who recently arrived.

"No, no, no." Jill argued. "I am doing a really good job and I'm not leaving just because now this is a lead story, and you want it!"

"You want to play in the big leagues, Jill? Sometimes you have to sit on the bench, and let the heavy hitters bring it home." Wes said.

Jill was about to say something, but he went on. "There's a ticket waiting at the airport. I'll be keeping your cameraman with me."

Being fed up, Jill angrily got up. "Good luck with your "cat in a tree," Wes!"

She then leaves, and a moment later, Dana appeared and pour more water in Wes' cup.

"Are you Mexican?" Wes asked.

"Only at work." She answered.

And she leaves.

* * *

Outside, Jill was fuming at Wes.

"Son of a..." Jill complained. "I hope you fall into the whale hole, you jackass."

Not far away, Pat was calling pat from her walkie talkie.

"Pat, I'm just headed back now." Rachel called. "I needed to see if you needed anything-"

* * *

 _"-from town. Over."_

Pat brought his walkie talkie. "No. We are in big trouble out here, Rach."

* * *

Rachel soon got concern and worried.

 _"The temperature has-"_

* * *

"-dropped through the floor." Said Pat. "The guys can't keep the hole open."

* * *

Rachel is now getting worried.

 _"We can't keep up with the ice. I think this is it."_

Then her walkie talkie cut off into static.

"What?" Concern at that.

"This can't be good." Aviva said and then brought out her Creaturepod. "Koki, are you there?"

 _"I'm out on the sea ice, but I don't..."_

Then everyone went static.

"Hello?" Aviva called.

* * *

Koki looks at her Creaturepod, and it got frozen.

"Great." She muttered.

* * *

Meanwhile, Karl and Dean were still at Amigo's and were eating.

"You gonna eat that ja-lapeno?" Karl asked.

Dean turns to him. "It's "jalapeno". You don't pronounce the "J"." He corrected.

"Are you gonna eat it?" Karl asked and ate a nacho.

Then Rachel rushed in.

"Why can't you admit that you're a jerk?" Dean asked.

"I'm a jerk? Why?" Karl asked annoyed.

"Because!"

Then Rachel rushed over to them.

"Hey. Do those things that you brought here really work?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah." Dean nodded.

"The Hootkin 450 will turn a hockey rink into a swimming pool faster than you can say "Minnesota North Stars!" Says so right on the box." Karl said.

"Well, you guys better not be lying." Rachel said.

* * *

Back on the sea ice, pat is helping out keeping the hole open.

And then a bright light was seen, as a helicopter lowers down for a landing on the ice. And the ice is strong enough to hold it, and Rachel, Aviva, Karl and Dean climbed out of the helicopter. And rushed over to the hole.

Rachel got to her knees and near the edge of the hole.

"Come on!" She said.

Pat then sets a generator down and place an arm around Rachel.

"Hi." Rachel said.

Karl and Dean begin to set up a de-icer, but Rachel, Aviva and Pat then had confused looks.

"Uh... That's it?" Rachel asked and laughed a bit.

"You're serious?" Aviva asked.

Dean nodded.

"T-That's our Hail Mary?" Rachel asked. "It's a table fan and a box top!"

Dean turns to her. "This table fan is your..."

Then suddenly, Wilma, Bumper and Swirly came up for air. And Karl and Dean were amazed.

"Whoa. Jeez, look at that, huh." Dean said to Karl who was frozen with amazement. "Look at that whale."

And soon, the 3 whales went under.

And Dean turned back over to them. "Hey, don't worry about it, okay? These things are going to work great!"

Blue Jr surfaced for air as Pat turns to turn on the generator.

"I hope." Dean said.

As Blue Jr begins to dive, a team member accidentally poked her back with a pickax. And the sudden jab caused her to react and she lifts her tail up, and then in an act of self defense, she swung it and splashed some water at them.

As soon as they recovered from that, Pat tries to turn on the generator. But the started cord got stuck, and some water has got frozen inside.

"It's frozen." Pat said.

And everyone turned to him.

"30 seconds on the ice and it's already seized up!" Pat said.

Now the situation is becoming more dire by the minute.

* * *

At the Tortuga, Jimmy was at the cockpit and then the screen above him turns on. Showing Aviva and Koki.

"Everything okay out there?" Jimmy asked.

 _"Jimmy, is there a generator in the garage?"_ Aviva asked.

"I think there's one, why?" He asked.

 _"We need one to run a de-icer but the generator we have got frozen."_ Said Koki. _"Any chance you can fly the Tortuga over and bring it?"_

"Okay. But, I thought you said that the ice isn't thick enough to..."

 _"JIMMY! THE WHALES ARE IN DIRE TROUBLE! GET DOWN HERE!"_ Koki suddenly snapped.

"Okay! Okay! "I'm coming!" Jimmy said.

He turns the key to start the Tortuga's engine, but then there was an engine stutter. He tries again, but the engine stutters again.

"Uh, oh." Jimmy nervously.

 _"What's wrong, Jimmy?"_ Aviva asked.

"The engine won't start!" Jimmy trying to start up the engine.

* * *

Koki brought out her tablet.

"Checking Tortuga running diagnostic." Koki said. And soon the results came in. "Oh, no! I was afraid of this."

"What, Koki?" Aviva asked.

"Ice must be clogging the engine." Koki said. "Oh! I know I should've check on the engine sooner."

* * *

Meanwhile, Adam was with Jill at a Chinese place trying to cheer her up.

"It's not a big deal. There are plenty of great stories in LA." Adam said.

"We don't do great stories!" Jill said. "No one does. And no one would watch them even if we did. Do you know that there are at least 30 wars going on around the world, as we speak?"

"Yeah." Adam said.

"Of course you don't." Jill said. "Because there are no reporters there to tell you about them because they're all here covering 7 stupid whales! Look at what they've done to me. I'm just a smelly, drunk, depressed Barbie."

"No, no, no, of course not. You..."

"Do you know what?" Jill cutting him off. "Maybe this is my wake-up call."

"Okay." Adam said.

"If this is what reporting is all about, I don't want any part of it." Jill said.

"What would you do?"

"I don't know. Maybe be a teacher."

 _"Adam, it's Rachel. Come in."_ Rachel cried into his walkie-talkie.

Adam reached his walkie-talkie. "Hey, Rachel, can you give me a second? I'm kinda in the middle of something." He then place it down.

 _"Adam, we need a generator!"_ Rachel cried. _"There's gotta be one at your station."_ Adam picks it up, and Rachel continues as he was about to say something. _"If we don't get it in the next few minutes, the whales are dead."_ Then he and Jill got concern. _"Now start it up inside and keep it running until you get to the SAR hangar. Adam, do you roger that?"_

"Yeah, I got it." Adam quickly getting up.

And they rushed outside.

* * *

"I'm just saying, grab a camera and some equipment while you're in there." Said Jill. "It'll take just 2 seconds. I need you to be my cameraman."

"Jill, this is about the whales." Adam reminded. "And, by the way, what happened to your wake-up call? 5 minutes ago, you were going to be a school teacher."

Then they rushed pass Wes doing a report.

"Since things have slowed with the rescue..." He reported.

* * *

Adam and Jill entered the station, and begin to look for a generator.

"You're no different than I am." Said Jill. "You want to move up just as badly. This story is our chance, Adam. It fell into your lap, but it landed you on national television! What's happening out there on the ice right now, Adam, that's our story."

No, it's everyone's story." Adam turned to her.

Jill scoffed. "Do you think that if they had the scoop, they would give it to story? We are being handed the ticket to where we both want to go. Don't throw it away.

Then they stopped and looked down and saw a running generator.

* * *

"The people will spend the next 2 months..." Then the lights that Wes was using turns off. "in total darkness. What happened? What the hell?"

* * *

Adam and Jill quickly headed to the hanger with the generator. And towards the helicopter as Rachel, Pat, Aviva, Martin and Jimmy were waiting inside.

And they begin to load in.

"Huh uh." The pilot shook his head. "No way! There's a million FAA regs against that. Shut it off, or we don't go."

"It'll freeze. It's the only way." Pat said.

"Pat! We'll all be unconscious in 5 minutes." Said the pilot. "That's not what you want with your pilot."

"What if we just leave all the doors open and let all the air out?" Rachel said.

The pilot turned to her. "You're joking, right?"

He then saw the looks they all had. "Fine!" He gave out and Jill and Adam climbed in. "But there's a pretty good chance we're gonna freeze to death."

And the helicopter takes off.

As they flew, everyone was shivering like crazy from the cold. And luckily, the generator is still running. And then Adam noticed something on the panel gauges.

"70 below? That can't be right." Adam said.

"Feels pretty right." Said the pilot.

Adam then realized something. "But wait, we're going 115 miles then that makes our wind chill at about..."

Then suddenly the helicopter jolted, and everyone held on.

"OH, MY GOSH! WE'RE ABOUT TO DIE!" Jimmy fearfully cried. "WE'RE ABOUT TO DIE!"

Soon, the pilot was able to straighten the chopper.

"Are you all right?" Adam asked. "Are you okay?"

Then the pilot found it really difficult to open his left eyelid.

"My eye is frozen shut!" Said the pilot.

"What?" Adam asked.

"I can't see out of my eye!" The pilot said.

"W-W-W-What do I do?" Adam asked. "I have a pocket knife. I could cut it open, like in Rocky."

"No! No cutting or ripping!"

"Okay, okay, okay." Then Adam have a crazy idea. "Okay, you know what? Just keep her steady." He unbuckled himself.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna lick your eye!" Adam said.

"Nobody's licking my eye!" The pilot said thinking he was crazy.

"Listen to me!"

"No!"

"Stay calm!"

"No! You're not gonna lick my eye!"

And then, Adam pressed his tongue on the pilot's eye trying to getting unstuck. Everyone from behind watched, and it almost looked as if they were kissing.

"This is weird." Martin said.

And then Adam pulls away, and then the pilot's left eye blinks a few times.

"Yeah?" Adam said.

"Yeah." Said the pilot.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"All right!" Adam patted him. "Now whatever you do, you don't blink!"

"Yeah!"

Adam laughed. "That got a little weird! Whoo!"

* * *

Back at the ice, the hole is starting to freeze over. And the whales are fighting for each breath. Blue Jr is now at a point to spend more time at the surface, trying to keep her blowhole above the ice.

And soon, the helicopter arrives. And everyone climbed out along with the generator.

"Let's go to the other side of the ice." Jill said as she and Adam with a camera rushed. "Get the shot looking back." And then they got to a spot. "Right here."

Adam turns on the camera.

"In three, two..."

"Okay." Adam said.

And Jill begins to report. "The temperature, minus 50. The situation, critical. The 7 might Leviathans, a family on the brink. With ice, aggressive and merciless, easily outpacing the heroic rescuers struggling to clear it, their only hope now, one last ditch effort by 2 mystery men from Minnesota and their homemade de-icing machines."

"You ready?" Dean asked.

"Yeah!" Karl said.

Dean plugs in the cord into the generator.

"It's safe, right? They're not gonna get electrocuted?" Pat asked.

"Good question." Karl said unsure.

Rachel and Pat glanced each other.

"You mean, no one's been in the water with these things?" Aviva asked.

"Okay." Dean said.

"Yeah." Karl said.

They waited, but the de-icer stood there still. Karl pats on the top of it to get it started but nothing happen. And then Karl pulls it out, and grabs a hammer and bangs on the motor until the fan starts working. And then he throws it back into the water as it begins to clear and the ice begins to be pushed back.

"Is this gonna work?" Rachel asked.

"Hell if I know, Rachel." Pat said unsure.

"Let's just hope it does." Said Chris.

And then Blue Jr came up air, and looked scared. But then the flowing water from the de-icer flowing over her skin seems to be soothing and relaxing to her, and begins to calm down.


	11. The Barge Falls

October, 20th

The next morning at Amigo's, Wes was having breakfast.

"I'll take the Breakfast Burrito." Wes said.

"All right, That will come with a side of Reindeer sausage." Dana said.

"Mine, uh, won't."

"Okay."

Then the recent news showed with the whales.

 _"From panicked to playful."_ Jill reported and everyone turned. _"The hum of motors inside these strange boxes is the sound of salvation._ _"_ The screen shows that the whales seem to like the flowing water from the de-icers, and Wes stares in disbelief. _"For, in dramatic fashion, these odd machines have turned what might have been a dark, Arctic grave into a bubbling Jacuzzi."_

"Now, how the hell did they get that story?" Complained a man.

 _"This is Jill Gerard with Adam Carlson, Barrow, Alaska."_

* * *

Meanwhile, in the news station Jill is on a phone and next to her is Adam.

"Well, I was just doing my job, but I'm glad that you enjoyed it, Ed." Jill said. "Peter Jennings said that?" She was speechless. "It's going national." She said to Adam. "Yes, sir. He-He is. He's right here." She then turns to Adam. "My producer wants to talk to you."

Adam then grabs the phone.

"Adam Carlson." He said. "Thank you, sir. Um... Well we were... I-I-I-I've actually been in Alaska for 4 years, now. Uh, before that... Yes. I would absolutely love to send you my reel. Thank you, sir. Yeah. Thank..." And he hangs the phone up.

And he turns back to Jill.

"Oh, my God." Adam said.

"We make a pretty good team." Jill said.

"I think we do. I think we do.

* * *

Meanwhile, thousands of miles south in California the little girl is doing a report on the whales.

"My absolute favorite favorite whale is the mommy, Wilma, because she's a gentle mommy that loves and cares for her cute little baby." She said. "And that must mean she has a big heart. She also has big lungs. I mean, look how long she can stay underwater. And she's huge! I hope they make it to freedom."

"Thank you, Shayna, for the 7th report about the whales today." Said her teacher. "Who would like to talk about something else?" The entire classroom was silent. "All right." Giving out. "Who want to do the next report on the whales?"

The entire classroom shot their hands up.

* * *

Back up in Barrow.

 _"Who will win in Alaska, the ice or the whales?"_

 _"Experts now fear for Bamm-Bamm..."_

"You have a phone call, Mr. McGraw." Dana said.

"Here we go." McGraw getting up. "Thank you."

Hen then made he way over to the phone and picks it up.

"McGraw." He called. "Hello, Colonel. How you doing? You know, we're all waiting for you up here." Then he got concern. "It what?"

* * *

Over a hundred miles away, the hover barge has gotten stuck into a large hole in the ice. And Boyer and his team watch from a distance.

 _"We have just received news that the hover barge will not be arriving in Barrow. Not now, not ever. The massive craft careened into an Arctic pothole, bigger than the barge itself, nearly causing a midair collision between the 2 sky cranes tasked with pulling it."_

* * *

Back in the hanger, Boyer was heading to his office as a group of reporters were with him.

"Colonel, why didn't you tell the President how badly the rescue was going when he called?" Asked a woman. "Did you deliberately mislead your Commander in Chief?"

"Ma'am, we took on a monumental challenge in a difficult work environment." Boyer said. "Our immediate goal was the delivery of the barge and now it's obvious that we lost that battle. But there's still a mission to complete. The National Guard isn't gonna stop fighting until those whales are free. Thank you."

He then enters his office and met with a group of members, and unknowingly Kelly was behind him.

"We all tried our hardest." Boyer said. "I'm proud of you guys. I want you to clear out. Go find yourself some chow. Thank you, gentlemen."

And they headed out.

And then Boyer looked upset. "Those guys set me up." He then threw a wrench angrily. "This is the worst day of my life!"

"You know, they can take that out of your pay." Kelly finally spoke.

Boyer turns to her, and recognize her voice. "Kelly?"

"I was in the neighborhood." Kelly said.

Boyer seem a bit awestruck. "If I'd known you were that pretty, I would have returned that first phone call of your right away."

Kelly laughed a bit.

"So, does my Commander in Chief have a Plan B, by any chance?" Boyer asked.

"I was hoping you'd have one for us." Kelly said.

* * *

Back in Barrow, out on the ice Malik and his team walked a distance with chainsaws.

"We need to make a path out to the open water." Malik said. "Otherwise, the whales will die here waiting. Let's start cutting holes every 60 feet."

But what makes you think they're gonna follow our path?" Roy asked.

"We have no choice but to try."

And then, they started up their chainsaws and begin to cut.

 _"The struggle to save 3 Gray Whales, Sperm Whale, Blue Whale, Killer Whale and Narwhal took an unexpected turn as local Eskimos began the daunting task of cutting a path of breathing holes, 5 miles long."_

* * *

In California, Shayna and her family were having dinner as they watched the news.

 _"Their hope, to lure the whales to open water. There appears to be no other opinion for the trapped whales and to many, the Eskimos' audacious plan seems insane. But with a few chainsaws,-"_

* * *

"-and a prayer, hopefully these 7 unfortunate giants will be free again soon." Jill reported.

* * *

Thousands of mile south, in D.C. the Chief of Staff is speaking with President Trump.

"Mr. President, I was assured by Alaska Northern that the barge was a viable option." He said. "We're doing all we can to minimize your exposure on this thing."

"Uh-huh." Trump said.

"Sir, the press has been all over us about some Soviet icebreaker." Said a man. "We told them it's a no-go."

"No, maybe we should consider it." Said the Chief. "Gorbachev's been telling us to trust him on this glasnost thing. This might be a good first step."

"Well, I like Mr. Gorbachev but I am not ready to play the trust card." Said Trump. "Not for this." He then got up. "Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, please."

He then headed outside to a meeting.

 _"Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States."_

* * *

Meanwhile, in the high Arctic an icebreaker is plowing through the sea ice.

 **USSR Admiral, Arsenyev,**

 **Bering Sea**

 _"The only available icebreaker within navigable distance belongs to the Soviets."_

The crew in the Captain's bridge turns to the TV.

 _"The Presidential candidates are weighing an opinion. The Dukakis camp is giving indications that this a perfect..."_

 _"How much you want to bet they'll call?"_ Asked Capt. Yuri Nikolayev.

" _How_ _much?"_ Asked Dimitri.

 _"50 rubles."_ Said Yuri.

 _"A hundred... And bubble gum."_

Yuri shook his hand. _"Bubble gum it is."_

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Barrow, the whales have not yet left their breathing hole and followed the cut open path.

And Malik and his team watch them.

"Why aren't they moving?" Roy asked.

Malik knows that Fred and Wilma can't leave due to Bamm-Bamm's condition.

"They can't leave until the baby's better." Malik said.

Bumper, Swirly, Two Tusker and Blue Jr seem to refuse to leave as well. Such are the bonds between whales, that they'll won't leave their sick friend. And they do what they can, to comfort him.

* * *

At SAR hanger, a helicopter has recently arrived with Boyer and his team, along with Kelly.

And they approach McGraw and Kelly shook his hand.

And McGraw patted Boyer on his shoulder about what happen with the barge.

* * *

"The US Government is not going to let a Russian icebreaker come and save the day." Kelly said.

"Yeah. Neither am I." McGraw raising his hand.

"Who knows if they would even come?" Said Boyer.

Adam, Rachel, McGraw, Kelly, Boyer and the Wild Kratts were in a room trying to come with the best choice. Nathan and Nua were with them as well.

Rachel scoffed. "Please, they'd all come for the same reasons that you're doing this. Good PR."

"Excuse me, young lady, but this is no PR stunt." McGraw said. "I'm in for $2 million for gas and equipment. And I care about those whales, just as much as you do."

"Maybe even more so." Said Kelly.

Rachel turned to her. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that J.W. is spending his money, while you're making it hand over fist."

"Yeah, thank you. Thank you." Said McGraw.

"You don't act like you're not piling up on the donations." Kelly said.

"Well, we're gonna need every penny to fight what you and your boss have done to the environment over the last 8 years." Said Rachel.

Kelly pretended she didn't heard that. "Excuse me, I couldn't hear you over the booming economy and massive job creation."

McGraw chuckled a bit.

"At the expense of everything else." Rachel said. "

"Okay. All right." Adam trying to keep a fight from happening.

"And that's why you're here, right?" Rachel asked. "To erase the embarrassing parts of your record that's not playing out too well on the campaign trail."

"No, she's here to represent the President of the United States and so am I." Said Boyer.

"And if Washington puts an extra funding in your budget as a thank you..." Rachel said.

Boyer seemed offended. "Uh. I-I'd be careful if I were you, miss."

And then their voices started to overlap.

"Guy? Guys, the whales. Let's get back to the whales." Adam bringing back the subject, and they turned to him. "That's why we're here. It sounds like the only viable option is to call the Soviets."

"No. No, it's not!" McGraw disagreed.

"I cannot recommend that to the President." Kelly said.

"It's not gonna work." McGraw said.

"You think I like calling the Soviets?" Rachel said. "They're some of the worst whalers in the world."

"She's right, they actually made a huge hit in the North Pacific." Chris said. "Hundreds of thousands of whales were killed."

"And now they're gonna come here and look like environmental heroes." Rachel said. "But, as much as we hate it, Greenpeace is willing to shut our mouths and let them."

"Well, I'm not." Boyer disagreeing. "I'll be damned if I'm gonna let those Reds come here and save the day. It's not gonna happen!"

"That's right." Kelly said.

"Then those whales are going to die." Rachel said. "Right there in front of the cameras. And when the weeping schoolchildren and the heartsick men and women of this country look for someone to blame..."

"We got it. We got it!" Boyer said.

"And they always do, right?" Rachel went on. "They're gonna ask the nice, trustworthy lady at Greenpeace. And I'm going to tell them that Donald Trump killed those whales. Goodbye legacy. Goodbye George Bush election. Goodbye to everything that you three came here to do."

Everyone remained silent.

"Can you recommend that to the President?" Rachel asked.

Everyone was silent.

* * *

A phone buzzed, and President Trump picks it up.

"Gorby, it's Donny." He said.

* * *

Back out in the Bering Sea, the Russian icebreaker is still out in sea.

 _"Captain."_ Called a member.

Then there radio spoke.

 _"Vladivostok Base to Icebreaker Admiral Arsenyev. Stand by to receive transmission of new orders..."_

 _"Steer course to 160."_ Yuri ordered.

He then turns to Dimitri and holds out his hand. And he hands him 100 rubles, and then Yuri snapped his fingers, and Dimitri reaches in his upper pocket and gave him a piece of gum.

 _"You know this could end very badly."_ Dimitri said. _"The sea is freezing over. If we don't act fast we're going to be trapped with those whales."_

* * *

 _"A theme that dominated today's episode of the trapped whales was "The Russians are coming"."_

 _"And now the Soviet Union has actively joined the effort to save the whales still trapped in the ice off Alaska."_

 _"Tonight, there's a new twist to this drama. The Soviet Navy is now sending reinforcements to help the Americans..."_

 _"The stage now is set for a climax to this long expense story."_

 _Everyone involved seems to be planning for one final push no matter what it costs."_

 _"The Soviet icebreaker hopes to vanquish the massive pressure ridge at the ocean's edge. The ship can't go any further as the shallows depths would cause it to run aground. The burden of getting the whales to the ridge falls to a cock-eyed coalition of whale hunters and whale lovers who must curve a path in record-time and pray the whales follow their lead."_


	12. Bamm-Bamm is Gone

October, 21st

Out on the sea ice, McGraw is giving everyone a speech.

"I think it's very courageous of the Gipper to extend his hand to the Soviets and let them help out like this." McGraw said. "That's all. Anyway, we got 5 miles of holes to cut, so we can't waste any time. By God, we can do it. It's do or die! It's-It's bottom of the ninth! It's fourth and goal! Right? It's down by two and one second on the clock! That's what it is. It's like, you know, one minute..."

"Just give him a cheer so we can get on with it." Malik turned to his group.

And then they cheered.

"Exactly. Exactly." McGraw said.

And they begin to head out.

"Guardsmen, we're on the move!" Boyer called to his men.

And they let out a cheer, and headed out.

"Come on! Let's go!" McGraw said. "Come on! That's it."

As they begin to head out, Rachel and Aviva walked towards the hole.

Meanwhile below them, Bamm-Bamm sadly looked as if he could hold on no longer. And soon, his mother appeared, and Wilma gently helped her son to the surface. Blue Jr wasn't looking well either, and swims up for air.

And soon, the 2 calves surfaced.

And Rachel gently placed a hand on Bamm-Bamm's nose. "It's going to be okay, Bamm-Bamm."

"We'll get you back home to your mom Jr." Aviva said with a hand on Blue Jr's nose.

And then the 2 calves went back under.

"The ice smashing cold war comrades will arrive within a day, but won't stay long as the brutal Beaufort Sea's frozen waters will soon become impassable" Jill reported as Adam films. Adam glances back as Rachel watches the whales. "The Red rescuers will have only one Hail Mary shot at breaking through the pressure ridge.

Back over with Rachel and Aviva, they soon got up and walked over to join the others.

No sooner then they left, Bamm-Bamm surfaced once more. And lets out a weak moan, and then disappears under one last time.

As Pat, Rachel and Aviva walked to join the others. Then suddenly they heard a commotion as they turned and saw the whales frantically raising up and down.

"Wait. What's happening?" Pat asked.

The whales seem distress on something. And Swirly was making a distress call.

"What are they upset about?" Rachel asked.

"Something must be bothering them." Aviva said.

"I think they're getting ready to move." Pat said.

And then, the whales disappeared underwater. And Bumper came up one last time as his tail lifts up and disappeared under.

Then suddenly, Wilma surfaced in a hole behind them as they turned.

"They are moving." Rachel smiled.

"Okay." Pat said.

"They're heading out." Aviva said.

"Dean, Karl, de-icers!" Pat called. "Let's go! As quickly as possibly!" And then everyone rushed as they saw the whales swam below them. "Ease back, everybody. Do not-Do not crowd the holes!"

"Which one is it?" McGraw asked.

And then Wilma came up again, and Fred came up a hole behind her. And Two-Tusker, Swirly and Bumper came up through a hole as well.

"Wait, that's 5." Martin doing a head count.

Pat soon notice who's missing. "Bamm-Bamm? Where's Bamm-Bamm?" Pat and Rachel turned to the hole. He's not coming up."

And Aviva noticed that Blue Jr is just sitting there at the surface.

"Why isn't Blue Jr moving?" Aviva asked.

They then went back over to the hole. Rachel looked through the water, trying to find Bamm-Bamm, but there was no sign of him. And Blue Jr wasn't even budging, only breathing through her blowhole.

"What is it, girl?" Martin petting her gently.

"What's wrong?" Aviva asked.

"Where is he?" Rachel asked.

"He's just a baby and he's confused." Pat said. "He'll come up. I'm sure Jr is a little nervous."

"Pat, I don't see him." Rachel said.

"Just give him a minute." Pat said.

Then Malik joined them, and looks at the water becoming stiller. And can almost sense that Blue Jr is seeming sad.

Rachel is now getting worried. "I don't see him. He's always right here. He's down here. Where is he?"

"I don't get why Blue Jr is only sitting there." Aviva concerned.

And then, Blue Jr spouted through her blowhole, and begins to dive underwater and swam off to rejoin with the other whales.

And Malik soon knew what was wrong.

"He's gone." Malik breaking the silence.

They all turned to him.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"The other two were protecting him, but he could no longer hold on." Malik said. "And Blue Jr refused to leave his side... Until the very end. Bamm-Bamm is dead."

Rachel sadly turns to the water.

"No." Rachel refusing to believe it. "Come on. Come on, surface."

Soon everyone realized that something was wrong.

"Come on, Bamm-Bamm." Rachel said.

Chris, Koki and Jimmy were now worried.

"Oh, no." Chris said.

"No, he's gonna come up." Rachel continued.

Soon Adam and Jill turned to her.

"Oh, my God." Adam said.

"Oh, my God." Jill smiled and just saw a new story update. "On me in three, two, one." But then Adam lowered the camera and makes his way over to Jill. "Adam, where you going?"

"He's gonna come up. Come on, Bamm-Bamm, surface." Rachel begged.

"It's out job to report the story, not become emotionally involved." Jill said to Adam without sympathy for Bamm-Bamm. "Pick up the camera, let's go!"

"Have a heart!" Koki glared at her.

And then Adam placed the camera into Jill's arms.

And Adam rushed over to Rachel's side.

"Come on, Bamm-Bamm. Surface." Rachel begged. "We can't let him die. We can't! We should have started earlier. We didn't do enough."

"No, no, no." Adam said.

Them Malik kneels down, and removes his hat.

"This is nobody's fault." Adam said. "Listen, there are going to be things that happen that neither you or anyone else can do anything about. You gotta stop."

Then Malik dips his hand in the water, and flicks it a few times.

"Just stop fighting." Adam said. "That baby is gone. And you can't change that." And he holds Rachel in comfort.

And then Malik begins to chant in a native language, as a farewell of Bamm-Bamm to believe to have joined the spirits of their ancestors. And everyone removes their hats.

"Amen." He finished.

"Amen." Everyone said.

And Malik begins a farewell chant in believe that the calf's spirits will be lifted.

As he continued, 2 holes behind the group. Nathan and Nua were lying down on the ice. And listened to Wilma's sad groaning in sadness of the loss of her calf.

And under the ice, Blue Jr bellows a long sad moan. As if she was saying farewell to Bamm-Bamm. It appears that she and Bamm-Bamm may have form a friendly close bond between each other. And is why she refused to leave for a few minutes, and her call echoes across the water. And then, she turns and begins to swim back to rejoin the other whales.

* * *

And it wasn't long before new of it was heard.

 _"One of 7 whales trapped in the ice near Barrow, Alaska, has not surfaced since yesterday."_

 _"The whale, nicknamed Bamm-Bamm, is now presumed dead."_

And everyone saw sadden about the loss of Bamm-Bamm.

 _"Rescuers say Bamm-Bamm's mother and father refused to leave their baby's side, until the very end. As well as the 4 lost calves, including Blue Jr that might've form a bond with him."_

* * *

Even the crew of the Soviet icebreaker have recently heard.

 _"To the little one."_ Yuri said.

 _"To the little one."_ Said the crew.

And they had their drinks.

* * *

In California, Shayna was in her bed and looks at her model globe over at Alaska.

Thinking about Bamm-Bamm.

* * *

Out on the sea ice, as the Full Moon shines down below them.

The team are still out, cutting holes to the open sea.

And then Fred came up, as well as Swirly. And the group halted their tools not wanting to hurt them.

As they continued, McGraw then approached Rachel.

"Miss Kramer?" McGraw said and she turned to him. "Excuse me. Um... Ma'am, I know how much you wanted to save that baby. And him dying, I'd lying if I told you if didn't hurt like Hell. But I just want you to know that we all give you the Lion's share of credit around here. Because if it weren't for you, all 7 of those whales would be dead now. And I promise you we're gonna save the other 6, no matter what it takes." And then turns to leaves.

"You're not as easy to hate as I thought." Rachel finally spoke.

McGraw turns back to her. "Neither are you."

They laughed a bit.

"Still doesn't change the way I feel about you trying to open up the Arctic Wildlife Refuge for drilling." Rachel pointed out.

"Young lady, it doesn't change how I feel about it, either." McGraw said.

He nodded, and leaves and Rachel smiled.

* * *

IN MEMORY

OF

BONE

THE LITTLE GRAY WHALE CALF

SPRING 1988 - OCTOBER 21, 1988

MAY HIM FOREVER REST IN PEACE.


	13. Freedom

The next day, news reporters were reporting as the holes are being cut open as the path to the ocean continues.

"The clock continues to tick down as crews furiously work to cut a path to the open ocean." Jill reported. "A Herculean task..." Then she notice that Arnold was holding the camera a bit wrong. "Cut, Arnold, you have to hold the camera straight. the camera's facing the ground. You gotta keep it up."

"I'm sorry." Arnold.

"Let's go again." Jill said.

* * *

In California, Shayna and her family were watching the news.

 _"If the whales or the Soviets don't arrive at the exact..."_

Then her younger brother changed a channel with Jill reporting.

 _"The town of Barrow has shut down as schoolchildren and shopkeepers alike answer the call to help out on the ice in any way they can. Those not cutting holes are providing hot food and coffee."_

He then changes another channel. As an Asian reporter spoke.

 _"...with the Soviets racing across the sea the whales are now within a mile of the ridge."_

News on the whales in Barrow went all over.

* * *

October, 28th

Back in Barrow, the team has finally made it to the ridge.

And Pat appeared on a snowmobile.

"This is hole 425!" He said. "That's over 30 holes an hour, in one solid day. It's incredible!"

"We really did it." Rachel said.

"Now all we have to do is wait for the icebreaker to arrive." Martin said.

"It should be here soon." Aviva said.

As they continue working, there was suddenly a loud horn of a ship approaching and they turned. And everyone started cheering as the Soviet icebreaker is now in view.

"They're here!" Jimmy cheered.

And Adam and Rachel smiled.

* * *

In the Captain's hanger, a member called out and Yuri and Dimitri looked out and see the ridge

 _"They could've told us it was so big."_ Dimitri said and looks through his binoculars. _"Maybe this wasn't such a great idea."_

Outside, the ship's horn blow and a member raised up an American flag to the pole.

* * *

On the sea ice, everyone continues cheering.

And below the ice, Fred, Wilma, Bumper, Swirly, Two-Tusker and Blue Jr swam as they now entered deeper water along the side of the wall of ice looking for a way out. And Bumper and Swirly begin to use their sonar to scout the ice ahead.

And Blue Jr seems to been given a extra boost of energy and encouragement after with Bamm-Bamm's death.

* * *

Back on the icebreaker, the ship continues towards the ridge.

 _"Slow ahead 10 knots."_ Dimitri ordered.

2 members moved to the ship's controls.

 _"Very well."_ Said Yuri.

And the ship heads straight towards the wall.

* * *

"That's big." Said Karl.

Everyone watched as the ship grew bigger as it got closer.

And the Killer Whale pod, Narwhal pod, Bumper's Mom and Colossal Blue begin to swim out of the way.

And then, the ship rams the wall of the ice and the magnitude of the impact cause a few people to slip and fell.

And bits of ice fell down.

"Ah. Hardly made a dent." Said Boyer.

And the ship backs up.

Back in the cabin, Yuri turns to Dimitri.

 _"Let's go again."_ He said.

 _"Stand by."_ Dimitri said.

Dimitri then headed over to phone and calls on the ship's microphone.

"Attention." He called.

* * *

 _"Attention. This is Icebreaker Admiral Arsenyev. The ship going to hit the ice again. Everybody move away from the ridge. Please move back, everyone."_

Everyone begins to move away to a safe distance from the ridge.

"Fall back, men. Fall back!" Boyer ordered.

* * *

Back in the ship's cabin Dimitri gave the order to go.

And the ship begins to move towards the ridge again with more speed this time.

* * *

Underwater on the other side of the ridge, the 6 whales are still under and are searching for a way out still.

But so far, Bumper's sonar is coming up with nothing on the side. And they have little idea that a 10,000 ton icebreaker is coming at them on the other side. But Bumper can hear his mother's sonar through the ice and took as a sign of comfort.

* * *

The ship continues heading towards the ice, as well as the whales kept swimming.

And then the ship hits the ice with more force. Causing it to crack.

But on the other side, the 6 whales heard the loud collision and took it as a threat.

And the spooked whales began to swim away from the ridge, and being the fastest Swirly quickly got ahead of them.

* * *

 _"Stop engine."_ Yuri ordered.

On the ice, Rachel soon saw the whales swimming away.

"They're swimming away!" Rachel said.

And then she and Pat with Chris and Martin ran after them trying to stop them.

"It's the vibration!" Pat said.

"Oh, gosh! Oh, no. No!" Rachel said.

"Stop!" Pat yelled.

"Guys, come on!" Chris called. "They're trying to help you!"

But the whales kept swimming the opposite direction to freedom.

"No, no, no, no!" Rachel said. "There's nowhere left for them to go! The old holes are frozen over! Come back!"

"Bumper, Swirly, stop!" Martin yelled.

* * *

Back at the ridge, the icebreaker begins to back away from the ice.

And Dimitri placed down a phone, and moves to Yuri.

 _"We could have structural damage."_ Dimitri said.

 _"We go again."_ Yuri ordered.

 _"No. It's too dangerous."_

* * *

Back with the whales, they were now running low on Oxygen and headed up.

But the hole was frozen over, and it was too thick for them to break through.

Above them, Rachel, Pat, Chris and Martin stopped.

"They've been under there too long, Rachel." Pat said.

"We don't know how much longer we can keep this up." Chris said.

* * *

 _"We did enough."_ Said Dimitri.

 _"30 knots."_ Yuri demanded.

The members turned to him.

And soon, Dimitri agreed.

 _"Full ahead."_ He ordered.

And soon, the ship was heading towards the ridge at full speed.

"Oh, my lord. That Ruskie's crazy." McGraw said.

"Come on, come on." Aviva begged.

The ships plows towards the ridge, Rachel, Pat, Chris and Martin turned. And below the whales desperately bang their heads on the ice trying to breath.

And everyone watched, and then the ship rams the ice ridge with the force of a thousand freight trains combined. And causing the bow of the ship to slide over the ridge as the crew held on, and the ship's massive weight cause it to lower and cracks the ice.

And made a large gap to the other side underwater.

And the ship begins to back away from the ridge. And once far enough away, Swirly's and Two-Tusker's pod gathered near the ridge as well as Colossal Blue and Bumper's Mom.

And then, everyone ran and made their way over to the gap.

"Careful. Careful."

"Do you see them?" McGraw asked.

Everyone soon got to the edge, and waited hoping to see the whales. And soon Rachel, Pat, Chris and Martin returned.

"Any sign of them?" Martin asked.

"Not yet." Koki said.

Underwater, the whale families waited hoping their lost offspring will appear. And Bumper's mom used her sonar clicks to detect any movement ahead.

But no respond.

On top, everyone is now worried.

"Come on, you bastards, surface!" McGraw said.

Everyone watched and prayed hoping that the 6 whales will appeared. And they were begin to lose hope.

But then, just when all hope was lost.

Out of the dark depths, Fred and Blue Jr quickly swam up and then breached their massive bodies out of the water. And came down with a massive splash.

And everyone started cheering and were relieved.

"Fred." Boyer said.

"Blue Jr." Aviva cheered.

And then, Wilma appeared and breached as well. And then Swirly jumps clear out of the water, and did a front flip and splashed into the water. And then Bumper and Two-Tusker breached out of the water as well.

And Adam and Rachel hugged each other and everyone cheered of their freedom.

"We did it! We did it!" Aviva cheered.

Fred and Wilma breached as they swam out into open clear water. As well as Bumper, Swirly, Two-Tusker and Blue Jr. And after 3 weeks, trapped in the ice, the 6 whales are gratefully rewarded with freedom.

And Swirly swims over, and is greeted with the return of her extended family. And is reunited with her mother, her aunts, grandmas, and uncles and other members of pod, even Old Sharktooth greeted the young calf.

Two-Tusker also returned and reunited with his family, and Bumper is joined back with his mom.

And for Blue Jr, she swam over to Colossal Blue and nuzzles her mother. And for surviving in the ice so long, she is deeply rewarded, with her mother's rich milk.

And everyone cheered and waved goodbye to them.

"You know what?" Nathan said. "I'm gonna miss them."

"Same here." Nua said.

Wilma dives underwater after taking a breath, and Fred breaches again. And Swirly and Two-Tusker's pod, along Bumper and Blue Jr with their mothers. Headed out into the open sea. And Bumper and his mom, along with Colossal Blue and Blue Jr, headed south to return to their home range. And Fred and Wilma begin the long trek south.

To Baja California.

* * *

 _"After the rescue, everyone from the outside left our little edge of world and went on with their lives. Mr. McGraw used his new eco-friendly reputation to land one of the biggest contracts in Alaskan History cleaning up all that crude oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez."_

"To the Valdez, the gift that keeps giving." McGraw making a toast.

* * *

Dean and Karl were doing a commercial of their de-icers.

"6 out of 7..." Dean said.

"...Arctic whales agree." Karl said.

"Nothing could be nicer."

"...than a Hootkin brand De-icer."

 _"Karl and Dean became local celebrities back in Minnesota and their de-icers business took off."_

"It's Arctic proven, don't you know?" Karl said.

* * *

Kelly dressed in a wedding dress, place a ring on Boyer's finger. And then they kissed.

 _"Colonel Boyer and Kelly Meyers fell in love. They got married on August 12th, 2019. And spent their entire honeymoon down in Baja, watching the whales."_

* * *

 _"It only took three more stations, but Jill Gerard made it to a national news network."_

Jill is doing an interview with a guy name Joey.

"So, Joey, you've denied the affair." Said Jill. "You say Amy Fisher was just obsessed with you. Mary Jo, are these doubts in your mind about Joey's claim?"

* * *

 _"Thanks to Fred, Wilma, Bamm-Bamm, Bumper, Swirly, Two-Tusker and Blue Jr, Greenpeace membership increased by over 400%."_

"Go easy on the copy machine because, after all, it's being held up by duct tape." Rachel said.

And then, Rachel saw Adam with a bag in his hand and he waved to her. Rachel waved as well, and went over to meet him.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah." Adam said.

"I thought you were supposed to be at a job interview in Pittsburgh." Rachel said.

"I canceled it." Adam said. I had to something else I had to do." And then brought out the bag, and Rachel grab it. And inside was the robe she gave him.

"I don't like the robe." Adam admitted.

Rachel seemed a bit upset. "Okay."

"See, I knew I was gonna hurt your feelings."

"No, honesty is important."

"Good, because honestly, you drive me crazy."

Rachel seemed offended.

"And... I can't imagine my life without you." Adam admitted as well.

Rachel smiled, and then they kissed.

* * *

 _"Adam got offers from all over the lower 48, but he turned then down to stay in Anchorage. He told me, "The biggest stories happen in the least likely places."_

"And now, here's Sarah Heath with tonight's sports." Adam reported and turned to Sarah. "Nut just Iditarod news tonight, right?"

"Right." Sarah said. "There was some good college basketball today. I'm gonna show you highlights, plus tell you all about that, next. Stay right there."

* * *

 _"And Chris, Martin, Aviva, Koki and Jimmy Z continued on with their creature adventures. Doing what they can to help protect the animals that call Earth home. And Aviva is been getting some work done with the Time Trampoline."_

"Okay, can is ready for testing." Aviva said. And brought out the panel of the trampoline, and sets the time destination. "65 million years back in time."

Then the can began to bounce on the trampoline as the Time Warp begins to appear.

"Please work! Please work! Please work!" Chris and Martin begged.

And then the can disappeared into the Warp.

"And retrieve." Aviva pressed the return button.

And then the can return, but it was completely burnt into a crisp.

"Glad it wasn't us on the 2nd try." Martin said.

"Uh-huh." Chris nodded.

"Not again." Jimmy complained.

"But hey, they always say 3rd time's the charm right." Aviva said.

And then Chris noticed a white object on the can.

"Hey, what's this?" He grabs it.

The object is revealed to be a 13 inch long tooth.

"What is that?" Koki asked.

"It looks like a tooth." Martin said.

"What?" Jimmy said.

"No creature ever had a tooth like that." Koki said. "Right?"

"What kind of creature would have a tooth like that?" Aviva asked.

Chris and Martin examine the tooth, and soon recognized it.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Chris asked.

"I think I'm thinking what you're thinking." Martin said.

"You don't think...?"

"No, that's impossible!"

"What?" Aviva asked.

"Who's tooth is it?" Koki asked.

"I think the answered for that is for another time." Chris said.

And little did the Wild Kratts know, is that the tooth belonged to a Legendary Predator.

Who is a nightmarish monster.

Who was the the most ferocious predator...

Of All Time.

And through the Time Warp, a loud thunderous roar was heard inside it.

* * *

"Nathan?"

"Yeah." Nathan said.

Nathan rushed back over and grabs his mittens as he and Malik along with several other men begin to pull a boat out.

 _"Me and my grandfather spend a lot of time together now. He and the rest of my people never stopped laughing at the huge fuss the crazy outsiders made. But sometimes, I think about the whales and that hole in the ice where we first found them, and how it kept getting bigger and bigger until it let the whole world in."_

* * *

Meanwhile, Fred and Wilma have made it into U.S. waters and are halfway through their migration south. And have managed to catch up with another Gray at the back of the migration group.

And are joined alongside with Bumper and his mom, as well with Colossal Blue and Blue Jr.

And given a 2nd chance at life, Wilma will eventually have another calf. And she and Fred will continue to follow the same migration route that their kind took for countless generations, and for many more to come. And will live to a right old age of 50 to 70 years old. And the amount of distance they'll take through their lives. Will be the equivalent...

Of going to the Moon, and back.

 **BIG WILD**

 **MIRACLE**

* * *

 **ACTUAL FOOTAGE OF OCTOBER 1988**

"It happens every so often, an animal's dilemma captures the public imagination and continues to hold onto it." Peter Jennings reported. "Those 3 California Gray Whales trapped in the Arctic ice off Alaska..."

"We bid the value of all the wildlife you're putting at risk." Said Rachel.

"And since you've refused to read them, we'll go ahead and read them for you." Said a young woman.

"What is it that's brought you to this site to do all of this work?" Asked a man.

"I think it's the same as with most people that have a real good feeling about whales..." Said a woman.

"I just told my wife, I said, "We can open that hole up for them"."

"Well, the purpose was to keep the water open and it almost looks like we've got something else going here. the whales seem to really like them."

One of the 2 adult Grays surfaced.

"That must make you feel really good."

"Yes, it does."

"Well, this whole project is a real long shot, you know." A man reported. "There's no use pretending that this is a foregone conclusion that we're gonna get these guys out of here. If the weather..."

Then the camera lens got misted by the whale's spout.

"They're spitting all over us."

"You have to remember that everything we've done, it's been done for the first time." Said Colonel Tom Carroll. "So any progress at all is a pioneering and new area."

And there is still the worry that the ice pack could close in and that there would be no open water for the whales to swim to." Reported Don Oliver. "Don Oliver, NBC News, Point Barrow, Alaska."

Footage of Colonel Tom Carroll and Bonnie Carroll on their wedding day.

"The only available icebreaker..."

Jill is doing a report on the Russian icebreaker and with Yuri.

"A man obviously passionate about his role in this stirring recuse." Jill reported. "In his voice, this reporter hears the unmistakable sounds of a 40-year cold war beginning to thaw."

"So, all of this is rather interesting." Larry reported to McGraw.

"When you've seen these magnificent animals up close like I have, Larry, you come to know that indomitable American spirit that lives within them." Said McGraw.

"Thanks very much for joining us tonight." Larry said. "We'll be back with Arsenio Hall."

"Ice is freezing the Beaufort Sea more quickly than usual for this time of year." Adam reported as the whales surfaced behind him. "And 3 Gray Whales, 2 adults and their baby, are now trapped in walls of ice, 6 inches thick."

"And I'll be back with an exclusive report." Said a man and finished. And then he and his camera person move to a new spot. "Time is running out for the whales trapped in the ice in Alaska..."

 **HAPPY 30th ANNIVERSARY**

 **OF**

 **OPERATION BREAKTHROUGH.**

Over the 21 days, of a Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane with a pile driver.

Failed attempt of a hover barge and a tracked vehicle.

The death of Bone.

And the final attempt of 2 Soviet icebreakers.

More than $1 million is spent to save the whales.

And while the loss of the youngest whale was heartbreaking.

Rescuers know saving the other 2, was still a giant victory.


End file.
